Lover Ignited
by RazzMcazz
Summary: Ruby Marvel, the girl with a superhuman name that thinks she isn't so super, but when she gets involved with Aghony and the Black Dagger Brotherhood, she finds herself in her own adventure, facing danger, thrills, excitement, love, and the scariest thing...her past. Based on the Black Dagger Brotherhood books and sequel to Lover Wild and Lover Enchanted.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Ruby heard the phone buzzing next to her as she was snuggled up in various blankets that plagued her bed like a comforting nightmare. She heard the buzzing, but really didn't want to get it, knowing who it probably was on the other line. Still, her hand reached out from beneath the blankets and grabbed the phone before it went to voicemail.

"Mmmm?" she groaned into the phone, knowing he would know what she was saying.

"Morning sunshine" the deep voice said on the other line "Sleep well?"

"iAm I will stake you square in the heart if you ask me what you are about to ask me" Ruby said in the harshest of voices, knowing the big brute on the other line would simply chuckle at her threat.

"Susie called in sick last night, and I've only got Trish for the night shift" the male said on the phone, his voice as pleading as it would get for her.

"I just worked last nights shift!" Ruby moaned "Call Skye, or Dawn, they can probably switch shifts at Iron Mask to work tonight."

"No can do, they are under staffed over there as well, you know how it is, spring colds and what not" iAm said his voice getting serious "I'll make you toasted tortellini just how you like it.."

Ruby considered this bribe for a moment "With spinach leaves?"

"All you can eat" iAm said as Ruby heard the smile spread across his face.

"You drive a hard bargain" she said sighing into the phone "Just promise me you'll keep Trish on a leash. I don't want to be her birth control tonight."

"I'll be there all night" he said "Then you and I will chow down."

"Alright boss, talk to you tonight" Ruby said hanging up the phone. Her boss never said goodbye to her, he promised he never would...

Ruby Marvel groaned loudly as she sat up in her make-shift bed and stretched her arms wide, letting the bones crack and pull beneath her skin. Three months, three months clean and she still felt like shit every time she woke up. Ruby looked down at her beige skin that paled and tanned whenever it seemed to want to. Tiny little scars that still looked fresh from the stitches coming out sprung out from her wrists as she looked down on bad memories.

"Bad memories.."Ruby whispered before closing her hands in fists. She begged her mind to think of iAm, think of his dark skin and those warm eyes everytime she walked in the door. He was her saviour, he had rescued her, given her food and clothing, got her a job and now this apartment, he was her god send if she ever needed one...

The thought of the big male made Ruby smile and forget the fire that burnt in her chest whenever she wanted to remember the past. Slowly she got up, letting her pajama bottoms fall from her knees after being bunched up around her as she slept. Her tank top slid up a bit as she let out another groan while lifting her arms in the air then slid back down over her curved body. Hesitantly she looked in the mirror and took a long hard look at herself like she did every morning.

Her hair was mouse brown that was cut crazy in different lengths that ended down near her neck. She had steel blue eyes that seemed jaded compared to the bright blues and sapphires she saw on normal people, her nose was what Trish called a button nose, though to Ruby it looked too straight and pointy to be one. Her lips were between thin and plump, but she was no Angelina Jolie. At least her skin was starting to lighten, three months ago her eyes were dark with circles and her lips looked chapped to the point of bleeding, but all that was behind her now.

Ruby gave a sigh and ran her fingers through her hair, knowing she needed a haircut to get all the lengths in one place, but like with everything, she really didn't want to bother. Slowly she turned and went for the bathroom, taking a nice hot shower and trying to prepare herself for the long night ahead of her. Saturday's were always busy at Sal's, but if Ruby at least put some make-up on tonight, she would get by okay. Besides, Trish was the maneater out of all of them, any table with a group of three or more guys and she would be all over it, leaving Ruby to deal with the more placid customers.

Ruby walked out of the shower and changed into her work clothes, knowing she would have to go in after a little while anyway, no need to change and re-change again.

She put on her cotton panties and a convertible bra, nothing too flashy since men weren't really on the menu for her, at least not for a while. She then slipped into black shorts and a white T-shirt with a scoop neck so that way she looked at least somewhat presentable. She decided to just wait to put on the small apron and changed into her nice black sneakers iAm had given to her as a house warming present.

She was thinking about iAm a lot today...maybe because of the morning phone call. Her eyes closed for a minute and thought about the first time she saw iAm...

He had been so big, so tall, she had never seen a man as tall as him before. She had been so out of it..huddled in a heap in the cold rain as the blood around her hands dripped around her. Ruby had wanted to die, had given up after spending days drugged out of her mind after that asshole abandoned her in the middle of the city with no money or food...

Sal's food from the kitchen had smelled so good that night, and she just couldn't bring herself to eat from the dumpster just yet. So there she sat, inhaling the beautiful food that was being cooked and trying to remember the last time she had smelt food that good...

Then she had given up, slit the pale drug filled skin and let herself dry out in the rain. She just wanted to fall asleep so bad...and then he came out, carrying a bag full of garbage to throw away.

She remembered his deep voice hiss with a "Oh shit..."

Then his arms around her "Hold on honey, I got you" he said quietly as he led her into the restaurant. That's how she fell into the darkness, with him holding her in his arms.

And then she woke up in the hospital, groggy, but dry, like someone had rubbed her down with a warm towel. And there he was, looking at her with a worried stare, his hands pressed together almost as if he was praying.

"Hi" she croaked out.

"Hi"he said and gave her the best smile she had ever seen.

Ruby opened her eyes and found herself smiling. Good memories should always top the bad, no matter what, and that memory of first seeing iAm would top any bad day.

Suddenly the clock chimed and Ruby was startled to see it was already six. She looked around and realized she had sat down on the couch as her memories had flooded around her for nearly two hours.

"Jesus" she said rubbing her eyes "That better be some amazing food."

Then slowly Ruby grabbed her jacket and her keys while fastening the apron around her waist and headed for the door.

As she walked down the sidewalk that cornered the tall buildings around her, Ruby decided there would be no more bad memories today, she had her whole future ahead of her and she would take it as is.

Ruby just didn't know that her future was about to come at her with a solid bang in her chest.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Aghony, son of Phury was reading in the library when he heard the tell tale laughter of his best friend coming down the hallway.

"Agggghhoooneeee" his friend sang in the hallway "Where are you man?"

"Here" Aghony said not taking his eyes off the book. _Sherlock Holmes_ a favorite of his rested in his hands as the old pages seemed worn from his constant turning of the pages back and forth since he was young. Aurora had always teased at him that he fancied himself like Holmes, but Aghony had always just shrugged her off. He was clever, not observant.

"There you are" said Faolan, the wolfen and son of Rhage that Aghony had been paired with ever since both of them had come of age to join the war against the Omega. Aghony watched as his friend walked over and slammed himself down on the sofa next to Aggie as his tanned arms stretched wide and placed themselves behind his head.

"Reading the great detective again?" he said smirking as his eyes closed.

"Just getting my mind off things" Aghony said looking back to his book.

"About Aurora?" Faolan said as one of his eyes peeked out from behind those long lashes.

Aghony grimaced and jerked his head "No, it's about my father."

"Uh hu" Faolan said knowing not to push it. Aurora, the princess of their race had found her mate and now seemed blissfully unaware of the intentions Aghony had once thought of. But now Aghony had seemed to get over his heartbreak, accepting the fact that she was happy, an act that his father Phury had taken almost a year to do with Zsadist's shellan Bella.

"What's going on with your old man?" Faolan asked his arms going down as he got a serious tone.

"You know he's the Primale right?" Aghony said shutting the book, unable to get his mind to wander from his current state.

"Yea, he's like an Alpha male...he has to re-populate your species" Faolan said trying to get it right. He had been a bit confused with learning his father's history and his own wolfen history. Sometimes it just got mixed up...

"Yea, but he told the Scribe Virgin that my mother was his only mate, and forever will be" Aghony said taking a deep breath "and since they had a son, guess who gets to be the next Primale?"

"Whoa" Faolan said taking a deep breathe and letting it out slowly "When did this happen?"

"Last night" Aghony said rubbing his eyes "My mother was upset, as was my father, but I guess something is happening with the Scribe Virgin and she really needs this..."

"Huh, well that sucks my man" Faolan said clapping his friend on the shoulder "Just know I'm here for you, it's got to suck to be in that position, but hey at least you aren't attached to a female."

Aghony nodded, thinking about the responsibilities of the Primale. Hell, he really hadn't been with too many females, three or four when he was young and dumb just out of transition, now he would have to do it with...shit, he didn't even know how many Chosen there were.

Faolan watched as Aghony's thoughts raced through his mind, though his face didn't reveal anything, the young wolf had known his friend long enough to know he was conflicted. Aghony had always been the smart one of the bunch, he could figure out things like no one else could. Clever was a great word to describe him, but when it came to females, he was out of his area.

Faolan grinned and thought about his father, how he was looking more and more like him every day. His father had no troubles with getting women, neither did Faolan himself, but there was always just a pinch in his heart that made him wish he could just find one, just one female that was the perfect fit for him. He could only imagine what Aghony wished for.

"Some of the Brother's are hitting up Sal's tonight, you want to come with?" Faolan asked his friend who still sat silent thinking hard. Aghony's face didn't even seem to register what he said. The wolfen gave his vampire friend a punch in the arm "Hey genius! Wake up" he said as Aghony's eyes flickered back to reality.

"What was that?" Aghony said looking at his friend.

"Food" Faolan said making grunting noises like a caveman "Eat Meat. Eat Noooodles."

Aghony laughed and punched Faolan right back "Sure you neanderthal, let me just grab my jacket."

As Aghony watched the trees and road flash by in the car with some of the Brotherhood, he thought about what Faolan said about being attached to someone...maybe it was better that he wasn't.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"I need three parms and a plate of meatballs" Ruby said in the kitchen as she placed the ticket on the stove where the cooks in Sal's were busting their asses trying to keep up with the crowd outside.

"Three parms and a plate of balls for madam Ruby" Joe said as something was burning in hot flames down on the stove next to him.

"She can have mine anytime" one of the other men in the back said as the others gave a good chuckle.

"Ha ha very funny" Ruby said rolling her eyes "Where's that pasta for table three Joe? They are getting ancy out there."

"Right here sugar" Joe said, his tanned hand spitting out plates of hot delicious pasta for the family at table three.

"Thanks Joe, I'll be back for those ball" she said giving him a wink before disappearing out the door. The kitchen staff always joked with Ruby about those things, every one of them knew she hadn't gone on a date in forever. They always did it out of pure fun, no harmful intentions meant, or iAm would be hiring a new kitchen staff.

Ruby walked the plates of pasta out of the kitchen door and into the buzzing room of people enjoying hot meals and nice atmosphere for the chilly Saturday night.

Steadily she smiled at the husband and wife as they sat and watched their food get placed down, their eyes hungry for the delicious smells that cascaded from the white plate.

"And for my little man here" Ruby said sitting the small plate of pasta down in front of the tiny boy who picked up the fork ready to dig in. Suddenly he dropped the fork remembering something "Tank you!" he said smiling up at Ruby. Ruby gave him a big warm smile "You are very welcome sir" she said as the two parents praised him for good manners.

Ruby always enjoyed the domesticated customers, she almost made it a game to see what was going on in their lives. She guessed that the couple were trying to teach their son how to say please and thank you, so far it was going well by the looks both of them were giving each other, praising one another for being such good parents.

Ruby refilled some drinks and thought about her own parents. She had been orphaned very early on in her life, she could remember strangers taking care of her, homeless people that saw a innocent child and decided to take her in as their own. Social services had told her that they found her curled up in an old make-shift shack in an alley with an old man who had called them from a local pay phone, thinking she was a lost child to some happy family.

Then she met the Marvel's, and they happily took her in. Then the fire happened and...

Ruby shook her head hard, making her thoughts stop right in their tracks.

"No more bad memories" she whispered to herself as she picked up some empty glasses from a table "No more I say."

Ruby worked harder as the night crawled on and before she knew it the restaurant was empty as customers left to see what else the city had in store for them other than good food.

"What a night!" Trish said from the bar as she adjusted a black headband around her curly blonde hair. Trish could have been a porn star if she really wanted to, she had the body and the bubbly personality that the industry would eat up. Most people just assumed she was, or a stripper, but Ruby had only known her to do that around the holidays to buy presents for her three kids.

"I'm pooped" Ruby said sighing as she joined her behind the bar "At least iAm promised me food after my shift."

"Lucky!" she exclaimed knowing that iAm's food was the best "He never does that for me!"

"It was the only way he could get me to work tonight" she said shrugging as she started to clean a wine glass.

"Pshhh" Trish said pouting her pink lips "You got him so whipped, if only I could find a man to cook for me."

"He's not my man" Ruby said glaring at Trish "Men aren't exactly on my list of things to do."

"I know, but you'd think he was your big brother the way he spoils you" Trish said playfully "I just want a man to spoil me, that's all."

"Well I hope you find him" Ruby said smiling at her wild coworker.

Then like magic, Ruby wanted to eat her words with the group that just walked in.

All were huge, giant males, almost as big as iAm. They varied in muscles definition and of course hair and looks, but all were like super size male models. She could almost hear Trish's panties dropping beside her as they walked in and sat down at a large table, joking with each other about something or another.

"My lord it's raining men" Trish said getting a sexy grin on her face "Watch and learn girl" she said giving Ruby a wink. As Trish sashayed behind Ruby she let herself roll her eyes at her coworker.

" " Ruby said smiling to herself. But steadily she let her eyes trail up and examine the gods that just walked into their restaurant. The biggest one was like a brick house, his shoulders wide while his square jaw was set straight, occasionally smiling at some comment the Asian looking one said beside him. The Asian one, with his beautiful smooth skin and dark eyes, had dark hair pulled back in a ponytail, and you could just see he was not someone you wanted to fight with. Two of the males sat, one with bright red hair and the other with dark hair and a lot of tattoos, and they seemed more absorbed in themselves then the group, though nobody probably caught it except Ruby.

Then there was one with dark hair and a crazy looking tattoo on his face, with...bright eyes that darted around the room as if looking for an attack at any moment. Then there were two that looked military with the way their hair was cut and the stance as they sat down, though both looked happy to be in the group. Then there was a blonde one, his skin tanner then the rest of the group as his eyes looked almost yellow in the lamplight when he smiled. And there sitting next to him was a guy that had first caught Ruby's attention although she really didn't know why.

His short wavy hair was all kinds of colors, different shades and highlights of such natural colors she almost couldn't describe if it was brown or blonde or any kind of color, but it looked magnificent the more he moved his head. His skin was beige that reminded her of sand the way it flowed over his muscles that were well hidden under a blue T-shirt, and those eyes, those deep dark green eyes that sparkled like gems when the light hit them just right. If you looked up handsome in the dictionary, it would perfectly describe his face as his nice jaw line and straight nose made you think of smart geeky guys that were more attractive then some perfume model.

Suddenly his eyes darted up and looked straight at her, and in the first time in three months Ruby swore she was blushing beat red with the look he was giving her. Quickly she ducked her head down and started rearranging bottles of liquor even though everything was in order.

Damn her, she could not do this, he was way too attractive and would probably end up having a girlfriend anyway..

"Steel yourself old girl" Ruby whispered to herself as she took a breathe "No need to get your panties in a bunch from the first guy that looks at you."

She just wished her body would listen to her words as she tried to calm the shaking in her legs.

Aghony had noticed her the minute they walked into Sal's. The room was smelling of fresh Italian food that would make your mouth water on any given day, but it all faded away when Aghony caught the scent of her at the bar. She smelt...divine. Like crisp apples and smoke, like pomegranate and hot peach tea, like oak wood and vanilla rum...all warm and luxurious and...

His skin had rippled with want the moment the scent had hit his nose. It had taken everything in him not to race over to the bar and bury his face in her neck just to inhale that scent. But he had kept away, studying her from afar as the others joked and talked around him. She was cute, not hot or sexy like the others would have described a female, but beautiful in the simple way she looked. Her hair shot out in different lengths of chestnut brown as those steel blue eyes that reminded you of winter looked away from him as that beautiful cream skin blushed when he had finally braved the change to really look at her.

It was almost too much just being this far away from her. He was scared he might jump up at any moment and take her into a dark corner just to feel that curvy body against his and...

"You there my man?" Hhate said waving his hand in front of his face.

Aghony shook his head to try and focus on something else other than her "Yep" he said popping his p and giving a sigh.

This was going to be harder than he thought.

Ruby suddenly heard the phone ringing near the cash register and quickly picked it up hoping to distract herself some more.

"Salvador's Restaurant how may I help you?" she said cheerfully into the phone.

"Ruby?" a tiny voice said over the phone.

"Walllie? What's wrong sweety?" Ruby said automatically getting concerned. Wallie was Trish's eldest at eight and almost never called on a weekened.

"Kip is throwing up and Bree is really warm" Wallie said his concern flooding his voice "Mrs. Thomas fell asleep and I don't know what to do."

"All right sweetheart" Ruby said going into motherly mode "Run cold water on a wash cloth and put it on Bree's head, I'll go get your momma okay?"

"Okay.." the unsure voice said over the other line. Ruby looked over to see Trish leaning over the group of god's table, showing off as much cleavage as possible.

"Trish" Ruby called and automatically her blonde hair whipped around glaring at Ruby.

"Yes?" she said pursing her lips.

"It's Wallie, something's up with Bree and Kip" Ruby said holding the phone out for her. Instantly Trish went from being maneater to momma as her lust disappeared with the concern for her kids.

She excused herself from the table and rushed over to grab the phone from Ruby.

"Hi baby" Trish said into the phone. She listened for a minute before panic raced over her face and looked up at Ruby.

"Go ahead and go I'll cover you" Ruby said patting her. Trish mouthed a thank you and talked to her son "Mommy's coming sweetheart, you wake up that fat old fart and tell her I'm coming home!" She hung up the phone and rushed around the bar to grab her coat.

"Thanks Rube, I appreciate this a lot" she said in a panic as she grabbed her purse and flung it over her arm.

"No problem, let me know how Kip and Bree are" Ruby said giving her a pat on the back. Trish gave her a grateful wave and disappeared into the kitchen and out the door. Ruby shook her head and gave the woman props, when it came to her kids, Trish would drop or do anything to take care of them.

Suddenly Ruby realized now that she had to take care of the group of gods still sitting and waiting for their order to be taken. She let out a deep sigh and steeled her body so it wouldn't betray her when approaching the group, particularly with the geeky god that still looked to be staring at her.

Slowly she went around the bar, and put on her best smile for the worst to come.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Sorry about that" Ruby said whipping out her pad and paper "Sick kids, you know the drill" she said smiling at the group of gods that stared at her intently. The one with the crazy tattoo nodded and gave her a good smile "I know that feeling" he said "Kids come first."

Ruby smiled at him and felt like the geeky god beside her was giving the other a death glare from the heat that was coming off of him. Aghony could feel himself tensing up when she gave Vishous a that smile, jealousy had never been heard of with him, but now he felt like tearing out the Brother's throat for getting that smile.

Vishous picked up on the hostility and raised his eyebrow at Aghony. Quickly Aghony shook off his intensity and shrugged his shoulders though Vishous wasn't very convinced.

"I'm going to have the fried ravioli" the tan one said flashing her a wide smile "With a Heineken please." Ruby ignored his eye fuck stare at her and wrote steady on her pad.

"Fried Rav with Dutch brew" Ruby wrote down as the moved from person to person.

"By the way, what's your name?" Faolan said giving her another flashy smile.

"Ruby, Ruby Marvel" she said smiling at him but not giving anything away.

"Ruby Marvel, sounds like a superhero name or something" Bruhtal said looking at her with one eyebrow popped above the other.

"Tell me about it" Ruby said rolling her eyes and taking his order.

Suddenly Ruby felt that odd comforting presence she felt whenever iAm was nearby. Steadily the group wasn't looking at her anymore, they were looking behind her...

"Hey boss man" Ruby said not looking up from her pad as she was still scribbling down the order.

"You boys being good to my Ruby?" iAm said giving them a grin.

"They were practically panting at me" Ruby said giving him a wink "And making very obscene gestures."

The tan one shrugged his shoulders "What can I say, Italian food gets me in the mood." Aghony looked at him quickly and the wolfen felt the hot stare coming from his friend, but ignored it.

"Your girl is one tough cookie, not everyone can resist Faolan's charms" Tohr said leaning in his chair.

"Well my Ruby here isn't your normal female" iAm said taking her shoulders in his large hands "She just happens to be the best waitress I have, and if you boys give her any trouble, expect some trouble back."

"iAm you can be so scary when you are making threats" the red headed one said as the other beside him smirked.

"I'm not talking about me" iAm said "I'm talking about her." The group laughed as Ruby felt a little hint of pride coming from her boss's voice as he gave her a reassuring pat that the group was known to him.

"I'll get that order right out to you boys" Ruby said smiling at everyone. Quickly she gave her geek god a look and shot him a quick smile before turning around and walking towards the kitchens. Aghony realized he had been holding his breath the whole time she was next to him and slowly let out all the air in his lungs.

"Dude you have got to chill true?" Faolan said beside him "Your giving everybody an anxiety attack with the way your looking."

"Sorry" Aghony said letting another sigh slip out "I don't know what got over me."

"Uh I think I can guess" Faolan said looking to where Ruby disappeared "I haven't ever seen you get so riled up over a female before."

"She does smell something fabulous though" Hhate said leaning his arm against the back of his chair.

"Don't push it man" Vishous said giving a smirk "Aggie just about took my head off for smiling at her."

"I'm sorry Vishous" Aghony said lowering his head.

"Don't sweat true?" Vishous said flapping his hand away "Your still pretty young, I can't imagine you having much control over it."

"Your dad was the same way" Tohr said laughing "When he got all steamed up, he _really_ got steamed up."

"I had trouble too" John signed "Can't be helped. Why don't you go talk to her?"

Aghony shook his head "I don't know what I would say..."

"Dude, ask to change your drink, or ask about her night, anything will do, you just got to break the tension man, you may scare her off if you keep up with the silent brooding thing" Faolan said slapping him on the shoulder.

Aghony looked nervous for the first time in his life and looked back towards the bar. Ruby had come back and was filling up the table's drinks while moving various glasses around.

"Do it, do it, do it" Faolan said bumping the table a bit with his fists.

Aghony shot his friend a look before kicking his chair and making the male wibble wobble in the air a bit. Faolan looked panicked as he slammed back down in the chair as Aghony chuckled and stood up from the table. None of the males were going to give him shit right now, that was for sure.

Taking a deep breathe he walked back towards the bar and tried to think of what he was going to say.

Ruby felt him even before he cleared his throat. That dark spicy scent that had wafted up from him as she sat at the table was unmistakable and partly exciting to smell as she stood with her back to him. Slowly she turned and gave him a smile "Something I can help you with?"

Aghony suddenly became dumbstruck, whatever he had planned to say obviously wasn't going to come out as his mouth stood open like a fish.

Ruby wanted to giggle so bad it almost hurt her chest to hold it in. Here standing in front of her was a guy that looked like some kind of Greek god and he stood in front of her flabbergasted like he just saw his first hot rod.

She really didn't want to embarrass him so instantly she moved closer to the bar and leaned in a bit towards him. Aghony was surprised and moved closer, just to smell her scent even more before he walked back ashamed towards his table.

"You know" she said "The whole staring thing seems to be making everyone nervous."

"I'm sorry" Aghony said "I didn't mean-"

"It's okay" Ruby said giving a giggle finally "I think I'm enjoying it. But can we cool it down with the hot looks towards everyone I smile at? I'm a waitress, it's my job to smile."

"Right" Aghony said scratching the back of his head while his other gripped the bar tightly as the embarrassment started to creep into his chest "I'll just go back and-"

"No wait" Ruby said grabbing his hand on the bar, surprised by how smooth and warm it was beneath hers "Don't go, I think your friends may catch on that all didn't go as planned. I'd hate to embarrass you more."

"I did it to myself" Aghony said chuckling "I swear I'm not always like this."

"I'll take your word for it" Ruby said smirking "Now let me buy you a drink, at least that will relax you a bit."

Aghony watched as her hand left his and for a fleeting moment he wanted to grab it back and have it dig into his hair as he buried himself into her, but quickly the thought flew away as control seized him again.

He watched as Ruby made a solid drink and handed it to him steadily "Real Irish Coffee" she said with a wink as Aghony swore he stopped breathing for a minute.

Slowly he took a swig of the drink and about coughed it back up as the whiskey hit him hard in the senses. Ruby giggled again and Aghony swore that it was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard.

"I told you, it's _real_ Irish Coffee, nothing like the stuff they give you back home" she said.

"Jesus" Aghony said giving a little cough "That was something."

"Now relax for goodness sake" Ruby said giving him a genuine smile as she wrote down a number on a napkin "And tell them I practically fell over myself for you."

Aghony took the napkin and saw the digits of a phone number scrawled in pretty penmanship with a quick heart at the end.

"Is this real or fake?" Aghony said giving her a manic grin.

"I guess you'll find out" Ruby said winking at him before disappearing in the kitchen door.

As Aghony sat back down at the table Faolan slapped him on the back and said something about manning up afterall, but Aghony wasn't hearing him, all he could smell was the warm lingering fragrance from Ruby that hung around the napkin.

Then suddenly, there was the horrible stench of baby powder.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Ruby was walking back from the kitchen when she saw them come in. Ten of them, all dressed dark with pale skin and pale hair and they smelt so foul Ruby almost gagged when the smell hit her nose. At the same time they entered Sal's the group of gods stood quickly and produced weapons from out of nowhere it seemed.

"Oh shit" Ruby whispered and quickly ducked beneath the bar. _"Oh shit Oh shit Oh shit"_ her brain screamed as panic started to resonate in her. It was fairly obvious what was about to happen next, the two weren't staring at each other like they were about to have a dance off. No, bullets and violence was almost guaranteed as Ruby suddenly thought about the kitchen staff. Quickly she crawled into the doorway and crouched as she hissed at the others. Joe and his staff looked at her puzzling for a second, but her mimicking of hand guns and just the pure panic in her eyes made them understand her instantly.

"Get the hell out now!" she hissed at them. Joe nodded and quietly the whole kitchen staff left till it was just her and Joe.

"Aren't you coming?" Joe hissed as he turned back to her.

"I have to get iAm" Ruby hissed back "He's in his office, I'll be right out."

Joe gave her another nod and prayed to the Holy Mother that Ruby would keep her word as he quietly exited Sal's.

Ruby crouched down again and heard voices yelling at one another. Whoever the pale fuckers were, they were looking for a fight, and for some reason Ruby wanted to be one the side of the gods. She prayed silently as she moved back into the main area and hid quietly behind the bar, waiting to see what would happen. Her heart suddenly leaped as she remembered her geeky god was out there, no doubt with some weapon in his hand as the others had.

Silently she peeked her head over the bar and watched the stand off before her.

The pale guys were armed with minor weapons, mostly some hunting knives and a bat or two. One had a pistol, but from the way his hand was shaking it was obvious he didn't know how to use it. But her guys, the gods, were ready. They all sported at least two guns and a dagger, ready to dish out hurt if it came to them. And by the looks on their faces, hurt was about to be served.

Ruby spotted her geeky god and almost blushed at how rugged he looked as he stood ready for battle. His wavy brown hair had been pushed back off of his eyes as it stood up crazed ready for anything while both of his hands grasped dark daggers. Suddenly his eyes darted over to her for a second and a look of pure fear crossed his face.

Then the first shots were fired. The pale on with the pistol had lost his cool and fired on the gods. Then...all hell broke loose.

Aghony saw Ruby right before the gun shot, but in a flash the battle had started and he was flinging daggers around trying to get a good clear shot to the bar before another lesser started for him again. Something was different about these fuckers, usually after a good hit and a kick they were down, but even he had began to notice that they were getting stronger, almost as if they had been pumped with endless energy no matter how many times he cut them up.

Another lesser came and John quickly aimed and shot. The pale lessers body flew back, but quickly got up, barely brushing his jacket off before coming at Aghony again with his knife. If they kept this up, and seeing as how they outnumbered the Brothers in the beginning, it didn't look good for his team.

Ruby tried not to scream as bullets zinged by her and crashed into the glass bar in front of her. She held her hands tight over her ears, trying to drown out the sound of the yells and firing of guns around her. Why the hell had she not just gone with Joe? Why did she come back here even when she knew she was in danger?

Suddenly a pale guy was flung over the bar and hit the ground hard beside her.

"Oh fuck" Ruby whispered and tried to move away from him to the corner of the bar. She looked around in a panic trying to find something to defend herself with when her eyes slowly found something she knew had been there but had totally forgotten in the rush of things.

There sitting in a little nook of the bar was a semi-automatic shotgun, placed by iAm for a "just in case" kind of night. If she remembered correctly the ammo was in a little push door on the side of the nook. Quickly she grabbed the shotgun and her hand found the little secret spot that held the bullets. Quickly she loaded her weapon, six bullets, six shots. Cocking the gun in front of her Ruby took deep slow breaths.

"_Remember_" she thought to herself "_Count your shots._"

Then opening her eyes, Ruby stood to take her aim.

The first one had the red haired one by the throat, but as Ruby took aim she shot clearly at the pale guy's head, dark liquid splattering everywhere with the red head god looking very surprised.

"One" Ruby whispered as she turned to her side.

Next was a two-fer. Both had tattoo face and one of the military dudes pinned in the corner of the restaurant. She shot both clean in the back of the skull, letting the blood explode around the two as the jumped away from her shots.

"Two" she breathed "Three."

One of the pale guys caught on to where the massive shots were coming from and quickly charged for Ruby, but she was ready. In a solid shot she blew the pale guy right in the chest, his body falling straight back from the blast.

"Four" she said as she pivoted around to scan for her next shot. Her shoulder was starting to hurt from the pull back of the shotgun. She took another shot at a pale guy swinging a bat around the really tan one.

"Five" she breathed.

She saw her geek god facing off with a pale guy and suddenly a little smirk crossed her face. Before he saw it, the lesser in front of him was blown to the side with a giant wound sputtering from the side of his face. Aghony turned and was amazed to see Ruby standing behind the bar with a shotgun cradled in her arms like she had held it many times before.

"Six"she said still smirking. Quickly she ducked back beneath the bar and crawled around the side. One of the other military looking guys was facing off with a pale fucker when suddenly she sprung up behind him and whipped the shotgun right upside the pale one's head. Falling to the ground like a rock Ruby watched as the gods all looked at her like she sprouted a second head.

"What?" she said shrugging "My dad wanted a boy."

The military looking one gave her a genuine smile as he backed up when instantly the pale one that had been thrown over the bar stood up with a knife gripped tightly in his hand and seized Ruby by the neck. Before she knew it she felt the cool metal of the blade press against the skin of her neck as the pale one held her firm.

"Nice try assholes" the pale one said, his breathe stinking like rotten eggs and baby powder "But this ones mine."

Aghony raced forward but John held him back, knowing it wouldn't take more than a second for the knife to slice across Ruby's neck. Ruby could feel her heart racing in her chest but suddenly breathed deep to calm it. This wasn't the first time she had been in this situation, but it would be the last. Slowly Ruby closed her eyes and tightened her fists, imagining just exactly what she was about to do.

Then, opening her eyes, Ruby slammed her foot down on the lessers.

A howl of pain escaped his lips but Ruby quickly silenced it with a swift upper cut in the pale guy's mouth. But she wasn't finished, Ruby had started a fire in her chest, and until this fucker was dead would it die down.

Quickly Ruby grabbed a stood from the bar and broke it across the pale guy's back. His body flew back but she was ready as she swung the remaining pieces across his chest sending him sailing into the bar. She heard the hard bang of his head against the hard wood of the bar but ignored the fact that his eyes were growing hazy below her. She quickly picked up a piece of wood that was sharpened at the end and in one swift motion stabbed the pale fuck in the head, his skull cracking beneath her hand.

Ruby found herself breathing as she looked down with such intensity at the pale thing below her. Dark black blood oozed from the wounds and Ruby knew right then that this thing wasn't human.

"Way to go Rambo" one of the gods said beside her as he looked down at the pale thing.

Ruby didn't look at whoever spoke, she simply tried to calm whatever was burning in her chest, willing it to stop before she exploded in another attack on something. Suddenly a cool hand was placed heavily on her shoulder and she quickly turned to see who it was.

"You alright?" her geek god said looking down at her with those gorgeous green eyes.

Ruby just stared at him, her words failing her as she tried to make out what exactly she was feeling..

"Your face" he said touching her cheek as she winced away "It's all cut up."

Ruby felt her fingertips brush her skin as red blood covered them. She must have been hurt when the bullets pierced the glass above her. Tiny cuts and gashes along her skin revealed bright red blood all over her. Jesus...she looked like she just came out of a horror movie.

"Let's get you cleaned up" her geek god said, pulling her away from the lesser's body as Vishous made a phone call to Butch for clean up detail. Suddenly iAm appeared in front of them and quickly pushed past the Brothers to make his way straight to Ruby.

"You alright?" he said taking her away from Aghony for a second.

"I'm find you big lug!" Ruby said pushing him away "Where the hell were you?"

"Trez had an emergency and I had to go to Iron Mask for a minute. Jesus what the hell you are not alright! Look at you!" the male said looking her up and down. Ruby was startled at his concern, iAm hardly ever showed such emotion with anyone.

"iAm" Ruby said shaking her head "I'm okay, really. These guys would have been dead if it wasn't for me. So would have Joe and the others."

"It's true" Aghony said beside her "She popped up over that bar and shot everyone to hell. Though I think you are going to need some serious remodeling after this."

"I can replace a wall" iAm said "I can't replace you" he said looking at Ruby "Don't you ever put yourself in danger like that again, I can't lose you like that..not after..."

"Shhh" Ruby said giving her big male a hug "I'm alright you big ape, a little scratch or two isn't going to send me down below just yet. Now go and deal with that crew while the geek god fixes me up."

Aghony suddenly blushed at the name she had just given him. Never before had he even been determined handsome, neverless godlike, but the term geeky probably made him blush more than anything. The big Moor gave Ruby a quick kiss on the head and proceeded to find out just how much damage had happened in his venue.

"So you and him?" Aghony said trying to hid the jealousy that sparked in his voice.

"It's not like that" Ruby said shaking her head "iAm saved me a long time ago, ever since he's acted sort of like my guardian. He worries about me like a daughter, and that big dork is the closest father figure I've had in a long time..."

Aghony watched as her eyes misted over for a minute before returning back to this world. "So" she said "Fix me up, and then tell me what the hell exactly were those things."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"Ow!" Ruby hissed as Aghony pulled a piece of glass from her thigh. She sat on iAm's desk with the first aid kit splayed out beside her while Aghony was working on the damage to her leg.

"Sorry, but I have to" he said tilting his head apologetically.

"It's okay" Ruby said sighing "It's what I get for trying to be a hero."

"You were a hero" Aghony said pulling another piece out as fast as he could. Slower hurt her more, and although he liked the way she moaned after each tiny piece, it was not out of pleasure.

"Yea right" Ruby said rolling her eyes.

"It's true" Aghony said bandaging her leg up "Ruby Marvel, defender of vampires."

Ruby suddenly stared at him dead after hearing the words come out of his mouth. Aghony suddenly felt his skin prickling and realized what he had said.

"Uh" he said looking up, eyes wide with terror.

"Did I hear that right?" Ruby said squinting her eyes. Aghony didn't answer her but like lighting her fingers were in his mouth splaying his mouth wide. Ruby saw, but she didn't want to believe. Two fangs, right there in front of her. How in the hell had she missed that.

"Wow..." she said as she slowly pulled back. He was a vampire..._All_ of them were.

Aghony watched as Ruby's thought process ran across her face like a movie. First was complete surprise, then there would be panic, and fear and major hostility. Great...the one girl he was really interested in and she was going to freak because she was human and he wasn't.

"So like.." she said trying to put her thoughts into words. Her hand steadily went out and pushed him for a minute just to be sure he was really there "You are completely serious?"

Aghony was trying so hard not to blush "Afraid so."

Ruby suddenly started laughing "Jesus well that explains a lot! No wonder you all look like you came from some model company, your freaking vampires!" She started to laugh louder and after a few good wheezes for air she settled down.

"So..."Aghony said testing the waters "You believe me? And you are okay with it?"

Ruby simply shrugged her shoulders and smiled "Whatever" she said "Stranger things have happened in this world. Who am I to judge? Just promise me you won't drain me dry after I leave."

Aghony shook his head and smiled "We don't feed off humans, just our own kind. Believe me, you are safe."

Ruby suddenly realized she didn't even know what this geek god's name was.

"_I have __**really**__ got to quit calling him that_" she thought to herself.

"So mister tall, pale and dead" Ruby said teasing him "Do you all have a name? Oh wait! I bet it's something old fashioned and mysterious, like...Fredrick or...Edward...or what about Damien!"

Aghony laughed at the names drops "No, we have stranger names to you humans. My name is Aghony, and my father's name is Phury."

Ruby liked the way his voice pronounced his name and wanted to twirl it in her mouth "Aghony.." she said "I like it, but it seems a bit dark. So does Phury."

"We all have dark names" he said "It's to strike fear in the hearts of our enemies."

"Well call me stricken" Ruby laughed.

Aghony realized he loved the way she laughed, how it was deep and pure, not a lighthearted laugh that would be delivered to anything. Ruby stared at her handsome god for a second and took him in fully. He really was _handsome._ Not hot or sexy or anything you would say to describe a typical guy. And the simple way his wavy hair fell into his face while those dark jade green eyes stared down at her, it made everything in her body hum.

"Now your the one who's staring" Aghony said wrapping the last bandage around her leg.

"Can't help it" Ruby said "It's not everyday I meet a real vampire."

"Well you are all fixed up" he said helping her down off the desk "For the most part. I'd re-do the dressings every few hours, just so the cuts will heal right."

"Thanks" Ruby said giving him a big smile "I appreciate it."

Aghony walked her out of the room, inhaling her scent one last time before they rejoined the others. Sal's had been pretty much destroyed decoratively after the fight, but after a little clean up, it didn't look that bad. Slap some new wallpaper and fix the broken furniture and all would be well.

Ruby realized all eyes were staring at her now. She realized in that moment she was standing in a room full of vampires and a thought of fear crossed her mind for only a second.

"Oh shit you told her" Vishous said shaking his head.

"I figured it out" Ruby said covering for Aghony "It isn't every day a fight like that happens with just anyone. Plus you boys don't hide your fangs well" Ruby said giving him a wink.

Vishous gave a genuine smirk as they all gathered around her.

"So his name is something dark and weird" she said sticking her thumb behind at Aghony "What's everyone else's?"

The group of gods looked at each other hesitantly, not really knowing whether to tell this tiny female their real names.

"Oh come on" Ruby said owning up to the fact that even if she did know, she had a good feeling she wasn't going to remember tomorrow "I swear when you erase my memory I'll try my hardest to forget."

The group suddenly got wide eyes staring at the human female who for some reason knew their little trick at keeping themselves known to humans.

"Vishous" said the tall one with the crazy tattoo on his face.

"Qhuinn" said the other tattooed one "And this is Blaylock" he said pointing at the red head.

"You can just call me Blay" the red head said shrugging.

"Bruhtal" the huge one said flexing his crossed arms at her.

"Hhate" the Asian one said giving her steady eyes.

"Tohrment" the bigger military dude said giving her a wink.

"And I'm John" the other one signed at her. She was thankful for a second she knew a little ASL.

"John?" Ruby said smiling "Out of everyone you have the most normal name?"

"He was given it at an orphanage" Tohrment said "His real name is Tehrror."

"Oh" Ruby said giggling.

"And I'm" the tan one said taking her hand in his quickly as he planted a light kiss to her skin "Faolan. And baby, I'm way more than a vampire." Ruby's eyes got wide as she looked into his golden ones that were now glowing bright.

Aghony quickly grabbed Faolan's wrist and gave him a warning look "Mine" he whispered. Faolan only winked at him and strutted back in place like nothing had happened.

"Well it was great meeting all of you" Ruby said placing her hands in front of her shabby apron "But I am merely a mortal and need some sleep."

"I'll walk you home" Aghony said automatically

Ruby smiled at him "Okay let me just grab my jacket." Quickly she walked out of the main room, her footsteps trailing lightly behind her.

"You asshole" Aghony sighed turning to his best friend "Why'd you have to go and do that?"

"I like fucking with you" Faolan said laughing "Besides, the female gets flattered when he male defends her."

"Just watch it man" Aghony said shaking his head "I can't control myself when I'm around her."

"Chill Aggie" Vishous said clapping him on the back "But you know you are going to have to do what she said. We can't have a human running around town knowing about us. Sure it's fine if they are at the mansion, but out in the city it's different, true?"

"I got you" Aghony said sighing "I just don't want to believe it."

"You are going to have to" Torhment said "If the king hears about it, we are all in deep shit."

Aghony looked at the wise Brother and nodded his head.

"I feel for you my man" Tohr said shaking his head slowly "She's one awesome female."

Suddenly Ruby busted in and took Aghony by the arm "Ready?" she said looking up at him.

"Ready" Aghony said brushing past the group. Nothing felt more right than Ruby's arm laced around his, even if it was for only a few moments.

"See you guys!" Ruby said waving "Or whenever you decide to have another fight!"

As Aghony walked out of the door with the female Faolan felt bad for his friend and what he had to do...he just hoped he could do it.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"So.." Ruby said as they walked down the sidewalk. It was near 2 in the morning and the city streets were barely occupied with the occasional couple or group walking by.

"So?" Aghony said enjoying the night air and Ruby's arm still wrapped around his arm.

"Who were the pale guys?" she said looking up at him.

"We call them lessers" Aghony said getting a bit tense "They are vampire killers and they work for this thing called the Omega."

"Omega?" Ruby said, her nose scrunching at the word "What is that? Some machine?"

"Think of him like what some humans think of as the Devil" Aghony said "And we are the creatures of the Scribe Virgin, what humans would call God, although she swears she isn't and that is someone totally different."

"Whoa" Ruby said breathing the word lightly "That's heavy."

"It's been our lives for centuries" Aghony said shaking his head "And I'm the son of a warrior, a Brother from what we call the Black Dagger Brotherhood. Back there" he said inclining his head back towards Sal's "You just met about three of them, though Blay and Qhuinn might as well be considered Brothers they've been with the Brotherhood so long."

"So your dad is a Brother?" she said sticking a little closer to him. She really was interested in all of this, despite the lingering thought in the back of her mind that was blaring DANGER DANGER!

"Yep" he said popping the p " He what we call the Primale, or in other words the Alpha male besides the king and my mother is what we call a Chosen, a female of very high worth that was under the Scribe Virgin. I'm sort of in line to be the next big thing like my father."

"Doesn't that make you happy?" she said looking at his grim face.

"Not really" Aghony said looking away from her "It's something I really don't want. My dad did it so my uncle Vishous wouldn't have to, and he wasn't exactly thrilled about it either until he met my mother."

"Well that stinks"Ruby said snorting "You shouldn't have to do anything just because of who you were born to. If you don't want to be this..Prime-whatever..then don't."

Aghony shook his head "It's not that easy."

"Sure it is" Ruby said smiling "You just need to say no."

Aghony walked in silence for a bit thinking about what Ruby said. Could he say no to the Scribe Virgin? Maybe if he really wanted to be deep friend and burnt in flames he guessed he could. Aghony decided to shake off the conversation and ask her a few things.

"So what about your parents?" he said looking at her as they turned a corner around a building.

"They passed" Ruby said quietly.

Aghony almost winced at the change in her face. She went from happy to sad instantly, although she was really trying not to show it.

"I'm sorry" he said trying to recover "So do you have anyone? Brothers, sisters?"

"I have iAm and thats it" Ruby said very seriously "There was someone...but I swear if I see him again he's dead."

"Oh" Aghony said feeling a bit awkward.

"Let's not talk about me" Ruby said shaking her head "Let's talk more about you. So is iAm anything or do you just know him?"

"I think he would like to tell you exactly what he is himself" Aghony said thankful she changed the subject "But believe me, he's way more than a vampire."

"That's what that tan guy said to me!" Ruby said looking up in surprise "His eyes glowed! What was that about?"

"He's a wolfen" Aghoyn said laughing at her surprise "Or what you would call a werewolf. He's my best friend by the way and I swear he was just kidding."

"That's good" Ruby said as her nose crunched again "Men haven't exactly been on my mind for a while and I don't plan on starting with him."

"Good" Aghony said darkly.

"Is that jealously I hear?" Ruby said giving a coy smile.

"Maybe" Aghony said smirking.

Ruby grabbed his arm a little tighter as they got closer to her apartment complex. Anxiety suddenly rippled through her as she realized that she would forget this whole night as soon as they got to her door. They walked up her stairs towards her door as Ruby took a deep breath to say goodbye

"Well, besides getting nearly killed and getting beat up and basically destroying Sal's" she said as they stopped at the door "I had a really nice time" she said smiling up at him.

"I did too" he said smirking.

Ruby stood there staring up at Aghony, waiting for something..anything to happen. But Aghony just stood staring at her, his smile fading as each minute passed.

"Well" Ruby said as one eyebrow went up skeptically.

"Well what?" he said looking at her like he really didn't know.

"Aren't you going to..you know" she said looking around "Make me forget tonight?

"Oh!" he said looking at her strangely "Well uh...I..." he said scratching his head. He really hadn't thought about it. Being with her and talking with her had made him completely forget the deed he had to do.

Suddenly Ruby's words echoed in his mind and he simply just smiled at her.

"No" he said happily.

"No? What do you mean no?" she said her eyes getting wide.

"I'm not going to do it" he said "You said all I had to do was say no, and here I am Ruby Marvel saying no. I'm not letting you forget me this quickly" he said as a manic grin crossed his face.

"What about the others?" Ruby said smiling, astounded at how happy he was suddenly.

"Well" he said "I'll handle them. But for now you are free to do as you wish, just don't go spreading the word about us. Might attract some unwanted attention."

"You have my word" she said holding her hand over her heart "I won't tell a soul."

"I know" Aghony said, his heart full with joy and warmth. It really was as easy as she said. Aghony knew he had to be honest with himself, he couldn't stay away from this female even if he tried, so why try to erase her memory and torture himself like that?

Ruby yawned loudly all of a sudden and seemed to blush at how tired she really was.

"You better get to bed" Aghony said realizing what time it was.

"Yep I need my beauty sleep" Ruby said smiling.

"Believe me, you don't need it" Aghony said winking at her.

Ruby's face flushed and was red hot as she watched Aghony start to walk away.

"Oh! One more thing" he said turning around quickly as he came towards her. He popped out a little card from his dark pants and handed it over to her. Nine digits were scrawled on the tiny piece of paper with red ink.

"If you get into any more trouble" he said "Call that number, and I'll be there."

"Got it" she said pocketing the card.

"Now I'll say goodnight" he said smiling down at her. Ruby quickly sprung up and planted a kiss on his cheek.

Goodnight" she said before closing the door on him.

Aghony stood there awestruck for a moment before turning with a cheeky smile and walking back to Sal's.

_"Hah!"_ Ruby thought to herself as she leaned against the door _"That's what he gets for trying to leave me hanging"_

Ruby quickly undressed, throwing her work clothes on the ground and walking towards her bedroom to change into her pajamas. She slipped on some flannel shorts and covered her chest with a comfy tank top before walking to the bathroom to brush her teeth.

That's when she heard it. The undeniable, unmistakable click of gun.

And then she smelt the god awful stench of baby powder.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"Don't fucking move" she heard the pale man say behind her. Ruby could feel her heart pounding in her chest as panic started to freeze her body solid.

"What do you want?" she managed to say as she heard him moving behind her.

"My master wants a word with you" he said as he pressed the gun at the back of her head.

"About what?" she said sarcastically without realizing it.

"He has a proposition for you" the lesser said with a huff of laughter "Though I would say it's a little more than just a proposition. I'm not too happy about it mind you, I don't think a bitch should be a host for our master, but who am I to judge. Now just come quietly with me and you won't get a bullet in your skull."

"Host?" Ruby repeated, trying to make sense out of what this asshole was telling her.

"Yea sweetheart" he said pressing the gun further into her skull "Host, Body, Husk, you want me to spell it out for you? Now get moving."

When Ruby didn't move he kicked out the back of her legs, making her fall into her dresser. She felt the sharp pain as her head made contact with the edge and the warm blood coming down the side of her face. Her fingers felt the wound and saw the dark blood in the moonlight of her window. That's when she felt it, the coursing fire running through her veins that had been subdued for too long. She was mad...no...she was pissed.

Ruby whipped around and slapped the gun right out of the lessers hand as her leg sprung up and kicked him straight into the other side of the room.

"You bitch!" the lesser spat out "Your going to pay for that!"

The lesser charged for her but Ruby was ready, giving him another kick into the side of the ribs and upper cutting him square in the jaw. The lesser was taken aback by her power, but iAm had been smart when he started taking care of Ruby. Extensive self-defense training had started the minute her body was able to walk.

The lesser suddenly produced a knife from his pocket and started swinging at Ruby clumsily it almost made her laugh. She charged for him and hit him right in the gut, making them both fly through the air and crash through her bedroom door. Ruby tried to shake off the impact but the lesser was right on her as her flipped her over on her backside and punched her in the face. She felt her teeth bite into her cheek and blood fill her mouth as she tried to struggle to get the lesser off of her. His stench was putrid as he hit her again in the head, making her vision dizzy for a moment. Suddenly his hands were on her neck and she felt the air straining from her lungs.

"I don't care what that asshole says" the lesser said spitting in her face "You are fucking dead! Do you hear me you bitch! Your dead!"

Ruby kicked out her legs, trying to wriggle beneath him. Her hands shot out and scratched the living shit out of his face as black blood started to ooze from his wounds. Before she passed out completely she swiped her hand one more time and made contact with the lesser's eye.

"Fuck!" he shouted grabbing instinctively for his bleeding eye.

Ruby let out a shriek as she bent up and tackled the lesser onto his back, striking him again and again in the head and chest. Quickly she got up and ran straight for her tiny kitchen, but the lesser was quick as he grabbed her leg and bit down hard into her skin. Ruby cried out as she fell down, her knee slamming into the hardwood floor so hard she knew she must have broken something. Ruby twisted around and slammed her foot right into the fuckers face as she scrambled to get up and grab some kind of weapon.

_Weapon..._The lesser had come with a gun. Ruby leaped over the lesser who was struggling to gain control of himself after the massive kicks to the face. Ruby quickly looked around the room and found the gun in the corner of the bedroom as she swiped it up and cocked it, ready to blow this fucker to hell.

But she didn't hear him move, didn't hear the pained groans he had been producing only a second ago. Quickly she moved, her bare feet barely making a sound on the floor as she went into the hallway, avoiding the wooden pieces of door all over the place. She could smell something burning in the air as she felt the air get hot with smoke. Ruby put the gun down and ran towards the kitchen. Flames spurted out from everywhere as a fire from the oven started to consume her kitchen.

"Shit!" she cried as she turned to head for the bathroom where a spare fire extinguisher was. Suddenly a fist came flying through the air and knocked Ruby flat on her back. The lesser was there, with his one good eye staring daggers at her as the knife was pointed right for her chest. But Ruby was fast as her hand flew up and shot straight into the lessers head, knocking him down cold as the flames started to consume the rest of her apartment.

Ruby tried to stand, but her knee was badly damaged as she limped towards the apartment door. She fell through the doorway as smoke bellowed out behind her and crawled down the hallway to the stairs. Ruby struggled painfully down them as she hard panicked cries from her neighbors and the shouts for police, but she couldn't think of anything else other than what the lesser had said.

_Host...Body...Husk..._

Ruby found herself out in the street as the chilly air whipped around her barely covered body. She looked down at herself and realized she looked like she had just gotten home from some kind of war. Dark bruises were already forming all over her body as she felt her head still bleeding across her face and neck. Ruby spit blood out from her mouth, trying to clear it from the nickle taste that surrounded her taste buds.

That lesser had wanted her for something, and she had been told that the if she got in trouble she needed to call that red number Aghony had given her.

"Shit!" she hissed as she looked up to the burning building above her. That number was definitely gone. But if there was warrior vampires, surely there would be civilian vampires as well. Ruby wandered down the alleyway, hearing the sirens far behind her as she moved through the darkness trying to figure out a way to find a vampire to take her to the Brotherhood. Her knee was killing her as she tried to move through the streets, but the gun was tucked safety inside her pajama shorts in case somebody tried to stop her, but it was four in the morning, the streets were pretty deserted at this time. Unless you were a vampire...

Suddenly Ruby felt a pulling at her chest, as if a string was tied around her and pulling her in a certain direction. She was too weak to really question it, and did as she was told by following the strange feeling in her gut. She twisted and turned through streets, avoiding people and cars rolling by for quite some time until she came to a street corner that was pretty dead as all the lights in the buildings above her were dark with people sleeping in them.

Suddenly footsteps were coming towards her and Ruby instinctively put her hand where the gun was. The guy that came towards her looked pretty normal, though his skin was a little paler than normal. His hair was brown and he was dressed casually like he had just gotten off from work and went to the bar for a hour or so before heading home. But Ruby felt he was something more...he was what she was looking for.

The male looked up and saw her beaten appearance and smelt her blood in the air as his eyes grew wide.

"Holy shit" he said as he came towards her "Are you alright? Do you help?"

"Yea" she said her voice croaky as she whipped out the gun "I need you to take me to the Black Dagger Brotherhood, and I need you to do it now."

"I don't know what yo-" he said.

"Spare me the run around dude" she said pointing the gun right in his face "I know all about it, I know what you are, so don't bullshit me. I'm in a lot of pain and the only ones who can help me are those assholes. Now get me there or I will shoot you."

The male looked nervous at her and then back at the gun.

"Look man" she said, her feet beginning to start to give out "I don't want to hurt you, but I've already killed one person tonight. Don't make it two."

"I don't know where they live per-say" he said holding his hands up "But I can take you near the area. That's all I can do."

"That's fine by me" she said "Where's your car?"

The male pointed towards the end of the street and Ruby signaled him to move. Quickly the male led her to the car and got in. Ruby entered into the backseat, all the while having the gun pointed into the male's head.

"Let's go" she said "Before the sun comes up and I lose my ride."

The male sped off through the street and out of the city. Ruby saw the flashing streetlights disappear after a while and once she felt it was right, took a great sigh of relief to be away from the apartment building that was no doubt still burning.

The male kept looking back behind at her and soon, his fear turned into curiousity.

"Ma'm?" the male said shakily.

"Ma'm is for old women, you can call me Ruby" she said.

"Ruby" the male said testing the name "Mind if I ask what happened to you?"

"Lesser attacked me in my apartment" Ruby said as her body started to shake "He beat me up and I killed him. The Brotherhood said if I get in trouble that I should contact them, but the number burnt up along with my apartment."

"You killed a lesser?" the vampire said, his eyes getting wide.

"Yea" she said looking him dead in the eye "I don't do well with people hitting me."

"You can lower the gun then" the male said smiling a bit "Anyone who kills a lesser is a friend of mine. I'll take you to the Brotherhood as best as I can."

"Thanks" Ruby said, feeling relieved as she lowered the gun.

"No problem" the male said as he turned on a forest covered highway "My name's Sahmson."

"Ruby" she said getting sleepy "Ruby Marvel."

"Nice to meet you Ruby" the male said. Soon Ruby drifted off to sleep and felt slightly peaceful, knowing Sahmson would take her where she needed to go.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

"Ruby...Miss Ruby.." she heard the male say as her eyes opened slightly "We are here, or as close as we can be."

Ruby sprang up and looked out the window to see nothing but dark forest around her and a single gate that almost looked like it led to nowhere, with dark vines and trees hanging off the side of the gate walls.

"Are you positive?" Ruby said looking at Sahmson who was looking at the gate with awe.

"Yes" he said shaking his head "I just can't believe I'm here. Hardly anyone gets this close to the Brotherhood's hideout."

"Well thanks for everything" Ruby said getting out of the car "I'll be sure to let them know who helped me."

"Thank you" Sahmson said still looking at the gate then finally at her "You get some rest, and a little medical attention, you don't look so good."

"Thanks" Ruby said still tasting the blood in her mouth "You better get home before the sun comes up. Take care Sahmson."

"Take care Ruby Marvel" the male said giving her a nice smile. Ruby watched as the car sped away, probably speeding because the first rays of sunlight were starting to peak over the horizon. Ruby hoped Sahmson got home okay, and if she made it to the hideout, she would ask about him. Surely the Brotherhood knew all of their vampires.

Ruby looked back towards the gate and gave a great sigh. Her knee was throbbing as she limped forward and looked around the iron gates for some hint of a keyhole or button to press. Obviously there was none and she found her best option at the moment was to climb.

"Shit.." she breathed looking up at the huge gate. Slowly she trailed beside it, looking along the big wall that surrounded what she hoped would be the hideout. Ruby tested some vines and found them sturdy enough to at least grab onto and slowly made her way over the wall, resting loudly on the ground as she tried avoiding her bad leg.

She took a deep breathe of morning air and saw the tips of sunlight begin to graze the tree tops above her. She had better hurry, before everyone fell asleep, then she would be stuck outside till later tonight. Ruby grasped at trees and bushes, climbing and making her way as best as she could against the forgotten path. Her feet were bleeding badly after a little while and her hands were raw from grabbing at bark and ground for nearly half an hour. She looked up, exhausted and near fainting when she saw the top of the mansion.

"Thank God" she whispered and continued to trek up the hillside till she came to another gate, only this time it looked heavily armed, as if it were ready to keep out a whole country.

"Jesus..." Ruby said looking up at the gigantic wall. Slowly she made her way to the giant steel gates and looked around for some kind of communication to the household. She could see the mansion barely over the wall, but from what she saw it was old, huge, and crazy gothic looking.

Suddenly a screen popped out from the wall with a single button beside it. Ruby limped over, grunting as she struggled to keep standing as she looked straight at the screen. It's glass showed nothing but blackness and silence as she waited for someone to ask her why she was there.

Ruby waited a couple more seconds before she pressed the button that gave a little buzz.

"Hello?" she said to the screen.

Nothing.

She pressed the button again "Is anyone there? I need help."

Still silence as the screen looked at her with sarcastic darkness.

"Shit" she said and started thinking about how she was going to get back down the hill. Maybe she could find iAm, hold up with him for a while and just wait till the Brotherhood got a hold of her...

"Who is this?" the screen suddenly said.

Ruby hurried back to the screen and pressed the button "My name's Ruby Marvel, I helped out the Brotherhood the other night and I've been attacked."

"There is nobody at this residence by that name, please escort yourself from the premises" the voice said rather snotty.

"Look asshole" Ruby said getting mad again "I've been beaten, cut, scraped, and I'm pretty sure my knee is broken, now you let me in this fucking place or I'll come in there and get you just like I got that fucking lesser! Now LET ME IN!" she said as she slapped the wall with her hand.

"Please hold."

"Fucking A" Ruby said backing away. She felt the wave of exhaustion hit her again and wobbled her way towards the gate to just rest on them for a minute. She let her eyes droop when suddenly a loud buzzing started above her and the gates began to open to the huge mansion. Ruby whipped around and looked in awe for a moment before she started for the grand doors that just screamed for her to come towards.

Ruby limped up to the door, but she could feel her body give beneath her.

"Shit...No" she said reaching out for the door, but her body would take no more. Just as she was about to reach safety, Ruby's body accepted defeat and collapsed on the ground in front of the mansion's door.

* * *

Inside, a doggen watched carefully on the screen as Ruby had made her way towards the mansion, only to pass out right before she got to the door. He knew he should get the Brother Vishous for this, but he was scared the girl outside would tell him how he had hesitated in helping her, or for letting some human into the mansion without asking someone...He should probably just fess up and tell master Fritz what happened. The doggen found the old servant of the king sitting quietly and told him of what happened.

"Goodness!" Fritz said getting up quickly despite his old age "And she's still out there?!"

"Yes sir" the doggen male said bowing his head.

"Well for goodness sake's get the Brother Vishous out here and tell someone to go retrieve the girl!" Fritz said amazed at the simpleness of his staff.

"Yes sir!" the doggen said as he scrambled from the room.

When Vishous was woken and told of the girl he immediately shot out of bed with Jane right on his heels when she heard the girl was hurt.

"I need you to get Manny up from bed as well!" Jane said running down the hallway as she yelled at the doggen "And get the room prepped for her just in case we need to go into surgery!"

Aghony had heard the commotion from his bedroom door as he sat up lazily, wondering who the hell was running in the middle of the daytime. Suddenly Faolan busted through his room with a panicked look on his face.

"It's Ruby" he said breathless, but that's all the wolfen had to say. Aghony shot out of bed and ran past everyone trying to get to the mansion doors. He was the first to the doorway when suddenly his father was right behind him and grabbed him from the waist away from the door.

"What the hell-!" he began but he understood his father instantly. If he opened the door, the sun would pour through and burn him to a crisp before he even got to Ruby.

Steadily Jane walked with two doggen as everyone else avoided the sunlight that came through the doorway as they exited to get to the girl. When they brought her in though, Aghony felt like tearing everything in the room apart.

"Let me go!" as he tore from his father and scooped Ruby up in his arms.

She was beaten...badly. With deep gashes along her legs and arms, worse than when she got cut from the glass at the restaurant. Her face was already swelling and bruised as those perfect lips were bleeding and chapped from the cold air. Her hands were covered in dirt and blood, as were her feet. Her knee cap was swollen and Aghony could already tell she had broken it extensively.

"Oh Ruby..."he said as he stood up with her in his arms.

"Aggie.." Vishous started but Aghony shot him a look to not come near him right now as Ruby lay in his arms.

The male backed up slowly, his hands in the air "Hey, we need to get her into the OR, true? I'm not going to take her from you my man."

Aghony simply nodded and followed everyone through the hallways into the OR where Jane went to work with Manny following her close behind. Aghony was in the room the whole time, refusing to let go of Ruby's hand, or her leg as the two surgeons worked on cleaning and stitching her up as best as they could. Jane could see the young male beside her and felt the worry literally viberating off of him.

"Hey" she said gently placing a hand on his shoulder. The young warrior looked as if he had aged a hundred years from when they took her from the hallway to just now. Aghony looked up at his Aunt Jane and she could see the question in his eyes.

"Yes" Jane nodded "She's going to be okay. Her knee is badly damaged though, it's a wonder the bone didn't penetrate the skin. I've seen people in car accidents look better than her, but your girl is a tough one. She probably climbed all the way up to the mansion, not just anybody can do that after the beating she took."

"She's strong" Manny said cleaning up her face "The toughest female I've seen in a long time."

Speaking of strong females, Payne walked in, her face lined with worry as she saw her mate working on the young girl.

"She was hurt?" Payne said looking at the doctors and at Aghony.

"We are assuming" Aghony said, his voice a bit croaky "I can tell by the way her hand is bruised and the bite mark along her leg that someone attacked her, not to mention the way her face looks. And from the damage to her head and the number of broken fingers, she fought back...hard."

"Who would do this" Payne said looking astounded "She is only human."

"It happens more often than you think" Manny said sighing as he stitched up the last cut along her head "Human women get beaten by their mates more often than you think."

"No this is different" Aghony said standing up and moving his hand from Ruby's ankle to her arm, his fingers never leaving her skin "Whoever did this, they wanted her dead. The darkness of the bruising along with where she was hit shows that they were aiming to kill..but she didn't let them...did you?" he said looking down at her "We need to send someone to survey her apartment, she's got smoke damage to her lungs which meant there was a fire. Have someone check local news for an apartment fire and then see if there was a body recovered."

Everyone simply nodded, knowing they would tell the others what Aghony was saying. He knew what had to be done, and by the look on his face they knew it would be. Payne watched as the young male sat diligently beside the young girl and felt a tug of pain in her chest, knowing her own mate had done the same for her when she was in need.

"May I help?" Payne said as her hands began to glow. Aghony looked at her in surprise as the female moved beside Ruby "I cannot heal it completely" Payne said looking at the swollen knee "But I may assist in it's healing process."

"Please" Aghony said nodding. Slowly Payne moved her hands along Ruby's skin as the swelling went down immensely and the bruising began to fade.

When the female was done Aghony smiled at her "Thank you" he said. Payne simply put her hand over her heart and nodded as she left with her mate.

"I'll be back to check on her in an hour" Jane said patting Aghony on the shoulder "Do you want me to bring you anything?"

"Yes" Aghony said getting a serious look in his eye "Can you bring me my laptop? Whoever did this...they are **not** getting away with it."

Jane simply nodded and left the room as Aghony still held on to Ruby's hand, knowing the human girl was safer now than she would ever be in her entire life.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Ruby's eyes seemed almost glued shut as she woke up from the heavy sleep she had been under for nearly eighteen hours. When her vision became clear she found herself in an eerily similar situation she had been in a couple of months ago. Aghony slept soundly beside her, his hand grasping hers as she was hooked to an IV and several other monitors around her bed. The felt like she had been hit by a bus, run over, backed over, and then run over again.

"Ughhff" her mouth said as she tried to sit up, but her chest was sharp with pain and she collapsed back against the bed. Aghony's eyes suddenly snapped open and he was right beside her as if he had only taken a short nap.

"Hey" he said stroking her face.

"Hey yourself" she said smiling "I swear I've looked worse than this."

Aghony only laughed and looked her over once more "You going to tell me who I'm going to be killing in the next hour?"

"No need" Ruby said smiling as best as she could "I already killed him myself. It was one of those pale guys, a lesser. He broke into my apartment and was going to take me to his..." she struggled to remember since it all had seemed to fly by so fast "Master, I think he said. Anyway I fought back and ended up commandeering a ride from a civilian of yours, and then I ended up here, although I'm not sure where _here_ is exactly."

Aghony smiled "Your safe, that's all that matters. The news said your apartment burnt to a crisp, and only a body was found alive. My uncle Butch had to go and take care of it while you were sleeping."

"But I thought I killed it" Ruby said confused "I shot that guy right in the head!"

"Lessers need a little more than that" Aghony said holding up his hand "They either have to be staked or sucked up by Butch, he sort of...inhales them and they disappear."

"Oh.." Ruby said a little bewildered "Well at least he's gone."

"Yea" Aghony said standing up "Doc Jane said you should be okay, though the knee is going to need to be in a brace for a while. We've got our own surgeons and everything here, you'll be taken care of good." He wandered towards a cabinet and produced a pill bottle with tiny white pills jingling inside of the orange capsule.

"You can take some of these to numb the pain for a little while" he said opening it up.

Ruby looked at the pills nervously and felt her stomach turn the moment they hit his palm "I uh...I can't take pills..." she said shakily.

Aghony looked at her strangely "Why not?"

"I just..." Ruby said as flashes of her memory popped in her mind. _Her sitting in a room full of people, him sticking the pills down her throat...the dizziness, the numbness of her body...the waves of her thoughts crashing around her as he did as he wanted with her..._

"I just can't" she whispered.

"Okay" Aghony said as he analyzed the look on her face. She was trying to hold back her panic so much, but the paleness of her face at the sight of the pills made him realize to not push the issue. Aghony put the pills back and got an IV bag of pain killers to ease into her slowly.

"This better?" he asked genuinely, wanting her to relax after the shit storm she just went through.

Ruby sighed as she saw the liquid and nodded her head at the male. Aghony smiled and put the bag on her drip so that her pain would ease a bit.

"Thanks" Ruby said rubbing her arm, a bit embarrassed for showing such panic at the sight of the pills.

"No problem" Aghony said shrugging "My aunt has a problem with needles, so I understand."

Ruby looked thankfully at the male that stood beside her when suddenly the doors opened and more of the warrior gods walked into the room. Ruby felt her nerves start to go as she saw the biggest one, with long dark hair and what looked like a younger twin beside him. One, that must have been Aghony's father by the technicolor hair they both had, stared at her thoughtfully, Vishous was one she knew, along with Tohr, but the one with a big scar across her face almost scared her, but the look in his eyes showed pity, not hate.

"Aghony" Mayhem said looking at her geeky god.

"My king" Aghony said bowing a bit "This is Ruby Marvel, she's the one that saved us at Sal's the other night."

The king looked over at Ruby and gave her a quick smile "Thank you for saving my Brother's, you have our gratitude, but right now I need to know what happened to you so that my father and the others may know what we need to do."

Ruby retold the story exactly as it happened, when she finally finished, the king looked thoughtful while Aghony looked pretty vengeful.

"Did he tell you why he was taking you?" the king said pacing around as the others looked towards her.

"No" Ruby said shaking her head "He said his master was going to proposition me. And then he said something about me being a host..and a body or a husk. It was really weird."

"Host may be another term for a shell of a body" Aghony said closing his eyes "Could he be trying to convert females now?"

"No" Tohr said shaking his head "Lash tried that once, it didn't end well. And the Omega doesn't take too kindly to females in general. There's no telling what he's up to."

"I know one thing" the big dark haired one said "This female sure took him on, true?"

"True" the rest of them said.

"Wrath" Aghony said looking at the big one "Her apartment burnt down during the fight, do you think she can stay here for a little while, obviously she's in no shape to really go anywhere. What say you Mayhem? She definitely proved her worth the other night, and fighting a lesser should seal the deal."

Mayhem looked the young girl over and saw a lot of his mate and his daughter in the fiery look the human girl was giving him "She may stay for a little while, until she recovers" he said nodding. Wrath simply nodded too, knowing that the look on the male's face was one he had seen before when his Brother's brought home females, it was not a fight to pick.

"Thank you" Ruby said smiling "I promise I'll be out of your hair as soon as I get up and running again."

Phury came over and patted her foot gently as the others began to leave the room "Stay as long as you like, not just any human can take down a lesser" he looked up at Aghony "You and I will talk later okay?"

"Alright" Aghony said nodding to his father before he too disappeared out of the door.

"Some family" Ruby said smirking.

"Well at least they like you" Aghony said shaking his head "You want to get out of this room for a while?"

"I don't think I'm in any shape to walk" Ruby said smiling modestly down on at herself. Aghony felt bravery pulse through him as he scooped her up dramatically while he grabbed the IV with another hand.

"Who said anything about walking?" he said smiling at her. Ruby blushed and giggled as she wrapped her arms around Aghony's neck as they went for a little walk around the training area.

Young warriors boxed and trained around her as they looked over at her and Aghony from time to time, trying to get a look at the human who took on a lesser by herself.

"I feel naked" Ruby said shifting the hospital gown down away from her hips.

"You are naked" Aghony said, his voice hinting a small growl.

Ruby felt her whole body flush and realized how exactly close to naked she really was, and this huge male was pressing right against her. She felt her legs wriggle a bit as she thought about a situation where she wasn't beaten and bruised and was actually_ really_ naked with Aghony right along with her...

Aghony caught the scent of her wanting and looked down at her hotly before she turned and blushed a little while looking at something else intensely. Aghony gave a bit of a grunt as he shifted a bit while walking, trying to think of anything else other than her body breathing lightly against his, her bare breast just barely covered with the light cloth and her scent wafting through the air like a cat in heat.

"I think I better take you back" Aghony said a bit hard "Too much excitement in one day."

"Yea I think so too" Ruby said as she beat herself up over thinking about things that shouldn't happen. She hadn't wanted anyone in over three months, never thinking once about the opposite sex in a sexual way, and now all of a sudden her libido wakes up screaming at her to bang whatever come sin contact with her?

No sir. That's how she ended up in her situation, making rash mistakes with her body and her heart. There was no way she was sleeping with anyone now.

As they made their way back to their room though, Ruby felt the intensity spike to a maximum between them as he sat her back down on the hospital bed, his eyes never leaving her for a second. Aghony felt his blood getting hot, and his dark spicy scent filled the room, making sure anyone close would know to stay away.

"Aghony...I don't think-" but she didn't get to finish her sentence as Aghony took her mouth with his in a gentle kiss.

Ruby could feel the fire start in her body again, the aching between her legs growing hot with want like it had never had before. She wanted him...no...she _needed_ him.

Aghony sucked on her lips and gently kissed his way down her neck, his hands gentle yet firm over her bruised body, wanting to caress the pain away as he trailed lower on her body. Her scent was intoxicating now, the warm scent filling his lungs as his body shivered and moved to feel everything about her.

"Aghony.." Ruby moaned as she grabbed his face. Aghony looked up with worry, hoping he didn't hurt her.

"I don't think we should..." Ruby began but her teeth bit back her lip before she could finish.

"Just tell me you don't want this and I'll stop" Aghony said looking her dead in the eyes "I won't do anything you don't want me to."

Ruby looked into those beautiful jade green eyes and felt her fluttering heart steel a bit at his words.

"Promise?" she said.

"I promise" he said looking at her sincerely.

"Then kiss me again" she said.

Aghony did as he was told and took her lips again in a gentle kiss, his hands moving again to her body, wanting to feel her really beneath him. He was careful when moving her around, not wanting to hurt anything that was already damaged, but from the way Ruby was responding, pain was the last thing on her mind.

Ruby felt the gentle kisses lace her body as Aghony undid the hospital gown and took her breast in his mouth, giving gentle sucks as he massaged her ribs and chest. His hot mouth started to move south and Ruby suddenly felt panic escalate as a flashback came at her fast.

_He moved on top of her...he moved so fast she couldn't stop him...but it felt good...but it didn't feel right..._

"Aghony" Ruby gasped.

"Everything okay?" he said looking up at her. Ruby realized that this was not him, this was someone different, someone kind and gentle with her...

"Keep going" she said biting her lip. Aghony gave her a bright smile and suddenly she felt his mouth on her most private area. Her body trembled as he nipped and licked her in the most sensual way, her body almost feeling as if it were going to melt at any point. Aghony could feel her trembling as he tasted her deeply, hearing her gentle moans as he rubbed and sucked at her, loving the taste of her beneath him. His own hard on was pressing against his jeans, screaming with want since the moment he caught her scent. It was almost punishing the way he was making himself wait with her.

Aghony moved up gently, loving the taste of her skin as he trailed back up towards her chest. Ruby trailed her fingers at his shirt and removed it fast so that she could feel his muscles underneath that lean back of his. Aghony moved on top of her, testing his weight so that she wasn't crushed beneath him, but Ruby had had enough of gentle touching and was lacing her legs around his waist as her hands moved against his muscles with pure want.

Her hands moved quickly, shedding his jeans off of those perfect legs of his as her body ached to feel him all over her.

She could feel his erection pressing against her and grind her hips just to feel it against her own hotness.

"Ruby" Aghony said trying to hold himself back "If you keep this up, I'm afraid I might hurt you."

Ruby looked up at the male, who had been so gentle and caring with her so far and felt the want shiver through her once more "So do it" she said grabbing him and pressing his hard on against her hips harder.

"Ruby" he hissed as his fangs began to get longer. Ruby saw them in awe and felt her passion get hotter beneath her.

Swiftly she wrapped her arms and pulled him into her "Take me" she whispered.

She didn't need to say another word. Instantly Aghony moved his boxer briefs down and lifted her hips up before thrusting inside of her. Ruby moaned and grabbed on to him, shocked at his thickness as he moved inside of her.

Aghony grabbed onto Ruby's hips and thrusted deeper inside of her, wanting that scent all over him as he felt her smooth skin beneath him. Ruby clawed at his back, loving the way he moved inside of her and the way his lips never left her skin once. Aghony moved faster and harder as he grabbed her hips while Ruby moaned at how good it all felt. Suddenly Ruby pushed Aghony away and moved him onto his back while she climbed on top of him, her wetness sliding down on him it made him growl with pleasure.

Ruby moved fast, her body grinding and pacing along with his thrusts as she dug her fingers into his shoulders, desperately trying to hold on as she started to climax. Aghony grabbed onto her hips once more, thrusting hard inside of her that Ruby finally cried out as she began to tip over. Aghony could feel his own climax coming, and thrusted deeper and deeper inside of her, marking her as his so that any male that thought to touch her again would know what was coming after him. She was his, and his alone, and he was making damn sure she knew that as well.

Ruby felt her whole body shudder as she came on top of Aghony who with another thrust into her tipped over alongside her. A couple more movements on top of him, milking the sensation through her hips, and then Ruby collapsed on top of Aghony, sweat drops cascading her back as Aghony rolled her over still inside her.

Ruby opened her eyes and stared up at Aghony when suddenly she realized they had not used protection.

"Oh shit!" she said scrambling away from him "You didn't use a condom!"

Aghony was a bit dumb struck for a moment before he realized what her concern was.

"You don't have to worry about that" Aghony said shaking his head with a smile "A human getting pregnant with one of our kind is very rare and it almost never happens."

"Yea well it could happen!" Ruby said a little shocked "It would be me out of a million people to get pregnant with a hybrid baby."

"Relax" Aghony said coming up to her and grabbing her in his arms "Even if you did, there is no way in hell you would be on your own. I'm here to stay if you are."

Ruby looked over at Aghony for minute, registering what he just said.

"You wouldn't leave me?" she said quietly.

Aghony looked at her, his face calm and serious "I will never leave you."

"Promise?" Ruby said, her voice betraying her by sounding pitiful.

"Promise" he said kissing her forehead and snuggling beside her. Ruby had heard a ton of promises before, always knowing there was a chance that it was most likely going to get broken. But looking into Aghony's eyes, Ruby felt in her heart that this time it was different.

Aghony wouldn't break a promise to her.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 10

"You doing okay there champ?" Aghony asked as Ruby wobbled down the hallway beside him, the brace strapped tightly to her knee as she maneuvered as best as she could without crutches.

"Doing just fine" she said concentrating on keeping her balance. Aghony wanted to laugh at her little dance she was doing as she tried to walk. It reminded him of a newborn lamb just learning how to use its legs.

"It's not much further I promise" Aghony said grasping her hand that started to wave in the air violently.

"Good because I'm bushed just making this little trip" Ruby said exhausted as Aghony led the way. She had woken up a little bit ago and had been given a nice set of sweat pants and a T-shirt to change into before Aghony suggested she be taken to her room out of the OR. Ruby knew she needed to take a shower here soon from the way her hair was plastered to her head and by the smoke smell still coming from her skin.

"Ugh" Ruby said closing her eyes trying to feel some sort of comfort "I swear I'm in need of a hot shower and a big juicy doughnut once we get to the room."

"I'll check on that doughnut situation" Aghony said finally giving up and scooping her up in his arms "But I can definitely provide that shower." Ruby wanted to giggle at the small flirtation, but her heart was starting to scream warning signals all over the place. Not but a few hours ago she had been laying naked in this geeky god's arms thinking wonderful thoughts, but now she felt that too good to be true starting to creep into her mind.

"You alright?" Aghony said suddenly stopping, catching the wariness coming from her.

"Yea it's just..." Ruby said looking away "I'm not used to someone talking to me like that..."

"Oh sorry" Aghony said grimacing "I'll tone it down. I just thought that after what happened downstairs..."

"I know! I know" Ruby said shaking her head "I just...well..It's just been a long time since anyone has really...you know...Or since I've been..."

"In a relationship?" Aghony said raising his eyebrows.

"Is that what you want to call this?" Ruby said quietly, scared to know the answer. She had been known to get touched with a velvet hand often, knowing that the term "just friends" meant "I just want to bang you and that's it."

"I was hoping to" Aghony said smiling "I don't get intimate with just anyone."

"But we barely know each other" Ruby said astounded.

"I have over a hundred years to know you" Aghony said smiling as he shook his head "I'm not going anywhere as long as you don't."

"If anyone else in the world said that to me I'd think they were crazy" Ruby said rolling her eyes.

Finally they came to the grand door that led into the bedroom, with high ceilings and lavish furniture around a nice flat screen TV. A large wardrobe sat in one corner while the four post bed looked like something out of a furniture catalog it was so nice.

"Jeeze" Ruby said as Aghony let her down "You guys shop at Nebraska Furniture mart much?"

Aghony laughed and shook his head "No all of this has been here for centuries, minus the TV and a few more modern things around."

"So this is my bedroom?" Ruby said looking around "Where's yours?"

"Well" Aghony said shrugging his shoulders "This is my room. If you liked it I thought we might share it while you are staying here."

Ruby felt panic run through her body for a moment "Look Aghony when I said I hadn't been in anything like this for a while I meant I have never been in a real relationship. I wouldn't know the first thing of domestic living if it hit me over the head with a frying pan. I'm not an easy person to live with."

"I realize this" Aghony said putting his hands in his pockets "But I'm here for the long haul, whether you realize that or not. Any problems that come up we can work out I promise."

"Why do you want me so badly?" Ruby said confused and bewildered at the same time "Really? What have I done to deserve all of this" she gestured around the room.

Aghony was confused at her question for a minute but understood where she was coming from. This was a lot, and it was all happening too fast for her he assumed. He thought for a good while on what he was feeling to try and explain to her why he was doing this.

"You..." he said trying to get the words straight "There's something about you...something I've never felt, ever. I can't explain it but it's like...like a part of me has a string, and that string has been tangled up for a long time, and finally that night at Sal's I felt like it was untangling somehow, and when I finally got to the end it was tied to you. I know that sounds strange but it's the only way I can really explain it. I can't let you go, not after seeing you so badly hurt. I want to keep you safe and keep you mine, for as long as I can have you."

Ruby stared at him with wide eyes, unable to really come up with anything to counteract his words that seemed to come straight from his heart.

"I hope I didn't scare you off just now" Aghony said a little embarrassed.

"No you didn't" Ruby said quietly. She moved over to the bed and sat down, wrapping her arms over her stomach like she always did when she felt unsure.

"Then why do I feel like I've just said something wrong" Aghony said coming close to her.

"I'm..." Ruby said trying to find some clarity "I'm complicated Aghony. I've gone through a lot of shit, and when I mean a lot, I mean a ton. I've done some things I'm not proud of, and well...I just...burn..I burn everything I touch. I don't want to hurt you."

"You won't" he said taking her hand from her stomach and pressing it firmly into his "I believe in you."

Ruby smiled up at him when suddenly there was a knock at the door.

"Come on in" Aghony said turning to face whoever it was. Ruby watched as a beautiful woman with long ivory blonde hair and jade green eyes walked in with a silver tray in her hands.

"I thought you and your friend might like some tea" the woman said, her face bright at the sight of Aghony.

"Thank you mother" Aghony said smiling at her "I think that would hit the spot, don't you think?" he said turning to Ruby.

"Uh, yes it would" Ruby said a little surprised. Aghony's mother barely looked over thirty as she walked gracefully through the room and set the tray down on a table nearby the luxurious sofa.

"Your father would like a word with you as soon as you are done" she said looking back to them "I believe it's about the discussion we had earlier this week."

"Oh no" Aghony said hitting his palm against his head "He really needs to bring it up now? Of all times?"

"I'm sorry Aggie" she said looking sincere "I know you don't want to but it has to be done."

"Can it wait just a little longer?" Aghony said looking pissed.

"I'm afraid not" his mother said. Her expression showed that she did pity her son for whatever mess he was in with his father.

"Okay" he said sighing as he turned to Ruby "I'm sorry but I have to deal with this now before it gets too out of hand, I'll be back later tonight, I promise."

"Alright" Ruby said trying to lean back on the bed "I'll be here, not like I can go anywhere else right?"

"I'm sure I can keep her company while you are away" his mother said happily as she walked towards Ruby.

"Alright" Aghony said a little taken aback "I'll be back as soon as possible."

"See ya" Ruby said as she waved at Aghony before he disappeared out of the door. Ruby looked over at Aghony's mother and felt a little awkward silence creep into the room.

"Sooo..." Ruby said trying to find something to say "What is your name? I know most of the Brothers names, but I don't know any of the girls. Do you have dark and mysterious names too?"

Thankfully the woman laughed and shook her head "No, I'm afraid not, at least not most of us. My name is Cormia."

"That's very pretty" Ruby said astonished "My name is Ruby."

"That is also a very pretty name" Cormia said smiling at her "A dark red gem that produces a very magnificent sparkle."

"Yea well" Ruby said shuffling a bit on the bed "I got named that because the woman that was my social worker had a mother with the same name, and apparently I reminded her of her mother. So I was dubbed Ruby."

"Social worker?" Cormia said a little perplexed "Do you not have parents?"

"Well none that wanted me obviously" Ruby said shrugging "Later on I was adopted and given a last name, so it all worked out in the end."

"And where are they now?" Cormia asked going for the tea, interested in this girl that had fought her way to the mansion.

"They passed" Ruby said trying to keep her voice strong.

"I'm sorry for your loss" Cormia said shocked.

"It happens" Ruby said shrugging.

"Well for what it's worth" Cormia said sitting next to her on the bed as she handed her a nice hot cup of tea "I think you are very brave for coming here, and for all that has happened to you."

It was the first time anyone had really acknowledge her as brave.

"Thank you" she said quietly, taking a sip of her tea.

"You are very welcome" Cormia said also taking a sip. They didn't speak on the issue anymore as they found other subjects to discuss, Ruby wanting to know more about vampires and what went on in the mansion, and Cormia wanting to know more about this girl that had seemed to fall out of thin air, and right into her son's heart.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

As Aghony walked into his parents room he found not only his father, Phury, but also the king, Mayhem, along with Vishous. All looked at him carefully, inhaling the warm luscious smell that Ruby gave off wherever she went.

"You wanted to see me father?" Aghony said looking a bit confused on why there was more than one male in the room.

"We have to talk about this female" Phury said looking at his son evenly "And I need the king and Vishous here to make my point."

Aghony groaned and sat down on a nearby sofa, knowing what the topic was that they were about to discuss "This is about me becoming Primale isn't it?"

"I'm afraid so" his father said sitting on the parallel sofa across from Aghony.

"What does Ruby have to do with all of this?" he said getting defensive already talking about his female.

"You know what she has to do with it all" Mayhem said easing the conversation before it got too heated "The Primale's main job is to help re-populate our species, if you become...attached to this female, which it already seems you have, then how will you be able to do your duty?"

"Who said I wanted this job anyway?" Aghony said sneering.

"You were born into this job Aggie" Phury said shaking his head "And I'm sorry you got dealt this hand, but we need you.."

"My mother is dying" Vishous said finally speaking up. Aghony turned to the elder Brother with wide eyes, not understanding exactly what he was saying.

"Vishous..." Phury said looking at his brother with pity.

Vishous looked away towards the hot fire that was blazing in the fireplace "She's dying Aggie, as much as an immortal can die. Because our species has cease to do our rituals and because of such melted connections with the wolfen, she is withering away. She won't say anything to me, nor Payne, but we see her, she's like a ghost..."

"How can the Scribe Virging die?" Aghony said shaking his head "How is that even possible?"

"When people cease to believe in a god" Mayhem said quietly "That god becomes more mortal, and she is well older than any being in this world. We need to help her."

"That is why you are the key" Phury said, his voice pleading "If you become the Primale, if you take one and make our people believe in the traditions again, then they will start believing more in her."

"And that is why Ruby is a problem" Vishous said getting very serious "You cannot have feelings for her and still be able to do what the Primale needs to do. There are Chosen waiting and they need you. When your father took my place he made a sacrifice, and then he changed the way the Chosen thought, but now they have daughters that need to know our ways. I'm not asking you Aghony, I'm begging you, do it for your species, if anything" he said getting quiet "Do it for me. I have only one mother, though she hasn't been the greatest one, but I am not ready to lose her just yet, not when I have just started to believe she cares about me and my sister."

Aghony was quiet for a long time. He knew what this meant. He couldn't be with Ruby, not unless she was going to be okay with him impregnating females all over the place. He knew he could do it...at least on a physical level. Emotionally though, he would shut down. Could he leave Ruby?

"When am I supposed to be named Primale?" Aghony said looking up at all of them.

"By the next Great Moon, according to Luna" Mayhem said watching the young male's face.

"Then I ask you this" Aghony said standing up, but not looking at them "Give me until the week before to make my decision. That is three weeks, at the end of the month, I will let you know what my plans are."

Phury looked over to the king who watched the boy curiously before his face settled in a decision "Deal" he said "But you need to figure out what to do with Ruby when she has fully healed. I'm sorry to say it but we can't keep a human in the mansion for too long."

"Understood" Aghony said waiting to be dismissed.

Mayhem nodded at Phury and Vishous followed close behind him as they left father and son to talk out what just happened.

"You need to be careful Aggie" Phury said rubbing his temples.

"I know" Aghony said standing up "But this is my life, I need to take somewhat control over it."

"I understand" Phury said "But you can't just forsake your whole race over some girl."

"She is not just a girl" Aghony said turning to face his father "She's more than that, she's brave and kind. It's like..." Aghony shook his head.

"It's like she lit up your world the moment she smiled at you" Phury said understanding how his son felt "And I'm sorry you may have to give that up. I'm sorry Aggie, you got dealt a shit hand, but I can't stand by while the Scribe Virgin suffers, as do our people."

"I know" Aghony said putting his hands over his face "I know and I want to help. I just need time, I need time to figure everything out. Figure out what I want."

"Well whatever you choose" Phury said getting up and coming over to his son "Choose with your heart, the mind is a terrible thing when it's battling what's in your chest."

Phury left his son alone to think about what he needed to do, but Aghony could not stop thinking about Ruby. Could he really leave her? That was the biggest question. He obviously couldn't keep her here, nor did he think she would be up for him having sex with other females besides her. She was already a mystery, and he could just feel that she had been hurt before...that last thing he wanted was to hurt her. For the first time in his life he didn't know what he was supposed to do...

Aghony sighed and felt a wave of exhaustion hit him hard. He needed to sleep. He hadn't gotten much over the last few days and right now the best thing for him would be to hit the hay hard.

As Aghony made his way back to his room he opened the door to find a sleeping Ruby cuddled up in a mini burrito with the covers of the bed. Her hair was a tangled mess from probably rolling around in the bed, but her cute little snore that escaped her mouth made Aghony smile at her from the doorway. The last thing she needed right now was for him to get in the bed beside her and disturb her from the sleep she needed way more than him.

Aghony grabbed a spare blanket from a drawer and undressed to his boxers, deciding to snooze on the couch until Ruby woke up. He took one last look at her and smiled before hunkering down and letting his head hit the pillow as sleep took his mind off everything that had happened.

And everything he still needed to do.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Ruby woke up to darkness as her eyes tried to adjust around her. She was still in the bed she had fallen asleep in after Cormia had left her last night, but there was something different in the air. Suddenly her ears pricked up and she heard the gentle snoring of someone else in the room. Instantly she was alert, her body up and looking around the darkness, still trying to make the room out. For a moment she thought about the window and instantly dismissed it.

Vampires. She was in a house of vampires. Of course it was jet black dark, it must be daylight. Sunlight meant being burnt to a crisp for them. No window opening for her.

Ruby swung her legs out of bed and wobbled a bit before balancing right on the brace, feeling more confident that she could walk today without any assistance. Gingerly she felt around her, feeling the walls and making her way to a doorknob she found after a few minutes. Quietly she turned it and exited the room, right before she let a little light in and saw Aghony snoozing soundly on the couch, his arm draped around his face as his snores escalated a little bit.

Ruby smiled and closed the door, not wanting to disturb him while he slept. Calmly she turned around and eyed the vast hallway up and down, trying to decide what to do with herself since she was wide awake. Looking down at herself she realized Cormia must have changed her as she fell asleep, since now she was in sweatpants and a nice babydoll T-shirt that was snug but fit nicely against her curves.

"That was nice" she said to herself quietly as she pulled her fingers through her hair, trying to make it presentable. She decided that while she was awake she might as well take a look around and decided on taking the hallway that looked like it led to a main entrance way since all the statues and pictures started becoming more and more frequent the more she looked.

Walking down the hallway, she admired all the fine paintings and statues, amazed that such a collection could be kept in such great condition. A couple of time she thought she heard people moving around down another hallway, but when she looked she saw nobody there, and the noise disappeared. Well what could she expect? In a mansion full of vampires she didn't think a lot would be insomniacs.

As she walked she looked in various open rooms, finding some nice sitting areas, a billiards room, and even a home movie theater that made her gasp at how nice it looked. It seemed like the mansion went on forever it was so big and grand everywhere she looked.

Finally she came upon the library and decided this was where she would rest her leg a bit since it was starting to complain from all the walking. She looked around some bookshelves and found a particularly old version of Jane Eyre that she decided to read.

Quietly she sat down on a nice comfy couch, rather than the nice more vintage ones that were around the room, and dug into the old story she had known so well since she lived at the Marvel's. They had been big classic book fans, Mrs. Marvel had all the Jane Austen series while Mr. Marvel was more of a Charles Dickens fan. Either way, Ruby had read them all, enchanted by their stories and dreaming of new versions of it so she could make all the characters happy and they would have happy endings.

Ruby remembered Mrs. Marvel's face, the way it was almost perfectly rounded and when she blushed her nose turned a bright pink while her blonde hair never seemed messy. Mr. Marvel had looked like a English teacher from the way he constantly dressed nice and had his dark rimmed glasses always pushed up to his face. They had told her every day that she was special...and that they loved her...

Flames suddenly flashed through Ruby's mind and she quietly put the book down beside her. The fire...she remembered that fire...

_The house smelt like smoke, horrible smoke that had made Ruby choke. She had woken up to her whole room ablaze, the flames reaching high on her nice curtains that her mommy had given her last Easter..._

_ "Ruby!" she heard her daddy say from the other side. Her mommy was screaming her name too, but Ruby couldn't make much else out, the flames were so hot..._

She remembered waking up in a fireman's arms, his heavy breathing scaring her awake as he ran with her cradled in his arms. She had only been ten when it happened.

Ruby rubbed her eyes, trying to not think about it...but her mind was relentless, making the flashbacks come hard as visions of her late parents bombarded her mind.

The police had said it was an electrical fire, something that had started in her room and had spread throughout the house. Ruby's adopted parents were dead when the fire trucks arrived, but they found Ruby huddled in a pile of wood, flames all around her, asleep...like a baby dragon cuddled by the warmth. Nobody could explain it why she hadn't been consumed like the rest of them...

Ruby groaned, not wanting to think about it anymore. The rest was just sad even if you weren't involved. Ruby had been shipped off from foster home to foster home until she was seventeen...that's when she met him and...

No. Ruby stood up and went for another book. She was not going to think about him. Not today, not ever. He was dead to her, and he would remain that way.

Ruby picked out Sherlock Holmes and began reading that, determined to purge out whatever wanted to plague her mind at that moment. She had read through the entire book and three more afterward before she started feeling very tired. With a big yawn she closed the book and checked the time on a grand old clock that stood a little way from the couch. The hands read twelve forty two, barely afternoon. The vampires probably wouldn't be up till around five or six. She supposed she could get a quick nap in before they all woke up.

Gingerly she propped herself into the couch and let her eyes droop so that maybe she could forget the bad memories that seemed to want to come back for her today.

* * *

Lassiter walked down the hallway whistling and popping popcorn in his mouth as he strolled through the mansion while everyone slept. This was basically his easy day, he wandered around, watched some TV, bugged Tohr or one of the other Brothers, watched more TV, wandered, maybe read a book although he had already read everything already...twice. He liked living down here, despite it getting boring or too emotional sometimes. The Brotherhood had seemed to be getting used to him, at least he was hoping so. Last chance to play nice and all that...

Lassiter found himself walking by the library when he heard a strange sound that was usual for daylight hours.

Someone was...crying?

* * *

_She was so cold...so fucking cold. The bedroom was dark, he was sleeping in the bed while she huddled in the corner, waiting for her chance. Should she go? _

_ She shivered again, knowing what would happen if he caught her leaving..._

_ She heard the cough of another person in the apartment, one of his so called friends that decided to light up in the apartment, then get too high to drive or even move around. That damn fucking dark liquid...that shit that was shot into her body almost every day..._

_ She scratched at her arm, trying to ignore her want for more._

_ No...he had hurt her...had hurt her bad the other night. She needed to go...needed to get away..._

_ Slowly she crawled on the floor, still high from the injection he had given her a few hours before fallling asleep...high as a kite after doing what he did to her to keep her here..._

_ She was so scared, and so tired. She didn't want to go under anymore...didn't need the high...she just wanted to get out._

_ Slowly she reached for the door handle and turned it quietly. If the others heard her move...they would tell him or wake him up..._

_ She crawled on all fours, slowly going down the hallway of the apartment, seeing the door within sight and trying to hold back her body from racing out the door and into the night before he caught her._

_ She was almost there...she was so close._

"Hey!"

Ruby felt the tap on her leg and shot from the couch, the room dark and her mind still believing she was in the dream...

No no no no no no...he had found her...

Lassiter couldn't see the girl moving in the dark but he heard her crying louder as she crawled on her hands and knees across the room. He moved steadily, wondering what was wrong by the frantic way she was moving around. He realized it was dark to her, but light to him and he quickly tried to get her to see him. She turned and faced him, but her eyes were misted over, like she was in a dream. She kicked her legs away from him, her arms shooting out behind her trying to get further from him.

"Hey wait!" he said trying to calm her down. Her face was streaked with tears as he tried to move forward and grab her, but the minute his hands touched hers she let out a horrible shriek.

"No!" she said slapping him away "No! No Please!"

Lassiter tried to hold her arms "Hey! Hey it's okay! I'm not going to hurt you!"

Ruby slapped him away still screaming and pleading when finally Lassiter grabbed a hold of her arms and held her down, trying to stop her before she hurt herself.

"NO!" she screamed , her voice shrieking with pure panic "PLEASE! JAY!** I DON'T WANT TO GO UNDER!**"


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

"Wake up!" Ruby heard someone saying as they shook her hard "You need to wake up girly, you are scaring the shit out of me!"

Ruby suddenly saw the lights around her, the dream disappearing as she saw a guy in front of her with so many piercings she couldn't count how many he had. It didn't help also that his hair was crazy looking and his eyes were glowing...but she had weirder things happen within the last two days.

"You okay?" he said looking at her with concern.

Ruby realized she was drenched in sweat and whoever this guy was was holding her down on the ground, as if he were trying to stop her from doing something. She had been dreaming...about him...and...

"I'm sorry" she said quietly as he let go of her "I didn't know where I was..."

"Hey it's alright" he said helping her up "I heard you crying and didn't realize all the lights were off."

"I'm...I'm sorry" Ruby said holding her head that was now throbbing. Jesus...she had a horrible migraine.

"It's alright" Lassiter said looking her over "Just don't ever do that again, you almost gave me a heart attack."

Ruby looked at him strangely, trying to decide what the hell he was, and trying to shake off the horrible dream...or should she say memory, from her mind.

"So who is Jay?" Lassiter said cocking his head to the side.

"Jay?" Ruby said, the name bitter in her mouth.

"You screamed his name" Lassiter said trying not to go into her mind.

"He was..." Ruby said as her body started to shake without her knowing it "A bad memory."

Lassiter shut his mouth as Ruby rubbed her arms up and down, staring daggers into the ground as if she were battling herself internally.

Suddenly Faolan busted into the room, his chest breathing hard up and down.

"I...heard...screaming" he said looking at the two.

"I had a nightmare" Ruby said quietly, trying to make her face placid "He just woke me up that's all."

"Alright" Faolan said breathing deep "Good. I was eating lunch and heard you and just ran straight up."

"Well thanks" Ruby said looking at the male wolfen "Hope I didn't ruin lunch."

"Well..." Faolan said looking around "I need to...excuse myself...lunch...is coming back up."

Lassiter made a face as the male ran into the bathroom and the sound of hurling was followed close behind.

"Uh" Lassiter said looking back at the girl "You want to take a walk for a minute? He's blowing chunks and I've never been fond of hearing that."

"Sure" Ruby said following him out of the library "We are leaving Faolan!" she shouted behind her. She only heard the gurgling of understanding from him in the bathroom and quickly left before she too started throwing up.

"So" Lassiter said putting his hands into his leather pockets "Bad dreams huh?"

"Lately" Ruby said as her arms crossed over her chest "More often this last week, just can't seem to shake them."

"You know what helps my bad dreams..I mean...well if I slept that is" he said smiling at her.

"What's that?" she said ignoring his little statement.

"TV" he said "Bad reality shows and talk shows. Care to join?"

"Sounds good to me" Ruby said following him along.

"The name's Lassiter by the way" he said looking at her with those glowing eyes.

"Ruby" she said looking up at him "My names Ruby."

They walked into a living room with a big television already playing something or another. Lassiter swiped up the remote and started flipping through channels till he hit a show he seemed to like by the smile on his face. Ruby simply watched the male, studying the way he moved and looked at things, at least what she could tell he was looking at.

"Can I ask you a question?" she said.

"Shoot" Lassiter said still looking at the TV.

"What exactly are you?" Ruby said looking at his blonde hair with streaks of black perfectly highlighted in his hair.

"I'm a lot of things" Lassiter said smiling "I'm an asshole, a TV junkie, and a constant annoyance to everyone who lives here, but in general I guess you could call me an angel."

"Angel?" Ruby said picturing what she had always thought those celestial beings looked like "You don't really look the part."

"Neither do you" Lassiter said getting up for some snacks that were always hidden somewhere in this room.

"What do you mean?" Ruby said confused.

"You don't look the part of just being an ordinary human" he said as his back was turned to her.

"How?" she said.

"Well for one thing" he said turning back to her "You have a very unique scent."

"Scent?" she repeated "Do I stink or something?"

"No not exactly that" Lassiter said popping a M&M into his mouth "You have a very unique blend of scents around you. Usually only a mate smells it, and that's what makes them so attractive. But you carry it with you, which is unique. Everyone picks up on your scent, and it has almost a relaxing effect. Hell I'm relaxed just sitting next to you."

"Well that's comforting" Ruby said a little amazed.

"It should be" Lassiter said smiling "Also,your aura is off the charts. I didn't see it at first but in the dark you were practically glowing. Or course nobody sees that but me, so don't feel too bad if the others didn't see it."

It was true, Lassiter had noticed it the moment she started moving around. He had watched her standing there, judging whatever light her body was giving off even though she didn't know it. Everyone had different auras that he saw, but none like this...it was almost like she was from the Other Side, because the only other one that registered that kind of light was...

"So I'm a little glow worm is what you are telling me?" Ruby said looking over at him skeptically.

"Pretty much" Lassiter said popping more M&M's into his mouth. He needed time to figure this female out, because he was almost sure she was more than what she seemed.

"Well maybe to you I'm not ordinary" Ruby said looking at the TV "But I can assure you I am."

"Nothing is ordinary around here" Lassiter said smiling at her "Just take a look at me."

Ruby laughed and went back to watching TV, letting her mind get consumed by the show for a little while. Lassiter wasn't lying when he said he was relaxed around her, his body almost seemed to be floating in warm water in her presence, something that had never happened before. Her aura right now was humming in front of him, the white glow in her body that vibrated with warmth and comfort, a very mothering presence.

Lassiter sat and enjoyed it for as long as he could, but questions were plaguing his mind about what had happened in the library.

"I need to ask you, because I don't think I can hold back anymore" Lassiter said calmly "What were you dreaming about?"

Ruby stared into the TV, her eyes getting dark and vacant. All of a sudden, her aura shifted, the light blinking on and off with darkness, like a strobe light or a fast heartbeat.

"It was just" she said trying to not say much "Just a bad memory. That's all."


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Aghony woke up soundly, stretching his arms wide as sleep drifted off of him. He was sore through his back and legs from being scrunched on the couch all day, but at least he knew Ruby got the sleep she needed.

Ruby...

Aghony realized he didn't pick up her scent in the room, which meant she had been long gone from it for some time. Immediately he got up and looked at the bed, seeing the covers pulled away casually as if someone had gotten up from them. Quickly he dressed in leathers and a dark T-shirt with his shitkickers before heading out the door to go find her.

He looked up and down hallways, his nose in the air looking for her sweet scent that drifted everywhere she went. But it wasn't her scent that he picked up first, it was her undeniable laugh that caught his attention.

"I told you!" he heard her cry out as another giggled escaped her. Aghony went towards her voice when suddenly he heard another.

"I just can't believe it, how are you doing that?" Lassiter said from somewhere. Aghony immediately picked up his pace and walked straight into one of the most hilarious scenes he had ever seen.

Ruby stood in the middle of the room, with Lassiter right next to her, staring at the stack of books, a bowl of fruit, and two balancing pencils stacked evenly on top of Ruby's head.

"Hey" Ruby said trying to keep her balance with all the items stacked on her head "There is a point to this I promise."

"I don't know how she's doing it man" Lassiter said moving around Ruby, watching the stack of objects balancing perfectly on her head "I've got six books, the bowl, four pieces of fruit and the pencils and they still haven't even seemed to want to wobble."

"I bet him twenty dollars that he could stack any object that wasn't close to my body weight on my head, and it would balance perfectly" Ruby said giving Aghony a wink "It's my secret talent I've had since middle school. You should see me balance a egg on a spoon."

"Well I'm glad you've made a friend in Lassiter here" Aghony said crossing his arms, a smile escaping him before he could control it.

"We've watched bad television and talked about all sorts of things" Ruby said as Lassiter started stacking more pencils around the fruit bowl "Did you know Lassiter has almost twenty three piercings on his body? That's ridiculous!"

"I promise I didn't show her all of them" Lassiter said as Aghony glared at the angel.

"Well good for me then" Aghony said walking towards Ruby "I'm glad you are doing alright."

"I'm doing just fine" Ruby said ignoring the stare she was getting from Lassiter. She would not be discussing what happened in the library with Aghony if she could help it.

"Alright" Aghony said taking the objects with one hand and setting them in Lassiter's arms "Well mind joining me for a minute? I need to talk to you about some things."

"Alright" Ruby said looking at him confused for a minute "I'll catch up with you later angel?"

"Later" Lassiter said waving as he sat down on the couch flipping through the TV already. Ruby rolled her eyes and followed Aghony out the door. The angle was good company, his humor was close to hers and he didn't bullshit around with things, which made him an easy friend.

Ruby walked beside Aghony and bumped his arm with hers "So what's going on?"

"A lot of things" Aghony said shaking his head "But none I really want to talk about right now."

"Ohhh-kay" Ruby said looking around "So what did you want to talk to me about?"

Aghony stopped and looked at her darkly, a look that made her skin shiver with want just with the way his eyes trailed over her possessively. He looked back and forth down the hallway when finally he grabbed her by the head gently and took her in a powerful kiss. Ruby's arms flew around his neck as he gently pushed her back towards the wall, his body pressing nicely into hers. Like lighting his hands were all over her, over her thighs and up her stomach, gently feeling her breasts before going back down and hitting her right between the legs where she wanted him most. Aghony couldn't help it, she bewitched him, just being around her was like a drug that he constantly needed to be high on. Her skin was like silk under his hands and the way she responded to his every touch was enough to send him over the edge by just hearing those delicious moans escape her perfect mouth.

Ruby's hands trailed down his chest, feeling his muscles ripple beneath his shirt. Her fingers were just about to go for the button of his leathers when suddenly he grabbed her, a pleasurable growl escaping his lips.

"Can't go too far" he purred into her ear "We are out in the open."

Ruby suddenly remembered they were in the hallway where anyone could have seen them.

"Right" she said moving away from him, adjusting her shirt "Sorry about that."

"Don't be sorry" Aghony said moving behind her, his arms wrapping her up from behind "I started it."

"I could have stopped you" Ruby said smiling.

"Oh really?" Aghony purred again, pressing his body into hers once more. Ruby wanted to gasp as she felt his hardness against her, feeling her own passion rise just by his touch.

"Yes" Ruby said playing along "You aren't as hot as you think sir."

"We will see about that" he said into her ear as his hands trailed down towards her sweatpants "And you will just have to prove how much you can resist me."

Ruby finally giggled and turned around, giving his chest a playful hit "You are so full of yourself!"

"What!" he said laughing as she continued to play slap him "You know it's true!"

"Ugh!" Ruby said feigning disgust while her mouth still smiled up at him "You think your hot shit, and I will prove you wrong.."

"I can't wait" he said giving her cheek a peck "But I do have to go out tonight."

"Where are you going?" she said, her smile dropping before she mentally slapped herself for sounding so dependent.

"I'm on duty tonight" he said shrugging "We schedule everybody to go out during the week and I took last night off to make sure you were okay, but tonight I have to go out" he said taking her hand and leading her back towards their room. _Their_ room, he thought about while a smile went across his face, his and Ruby's room, as it should be...

"What do you do when you go out?" Ruby said sounding interested.

"We go and hunt and fight lessers. They're numbers have almost tripled over the last few months, and they have been getting stronger. We don't know why or how, but we know it's not good" Aghony said looking at her thoughtfully "We need to keep our race safe, that is what the Brotherhood is all about."

"I see" Ruby said thinking it all over. Going hunting for lessers was dangerous, she knew that from experience from just fighting one...how many did he fight a night?

"What's the ratio of lessers now?" Ruby said not looking at him.

"About five to one" Aghony said squeezing Ruby's hand "That's why we team up in pairs with two wolfen. It helps even out the odds a bit."

Ruby let out a little breathe of relief hearing he wouldn't be going out there alone. She knew he would be okay, he was tough, probably as tough as her. They were now at Aghony's door as he opened it for her and stood in the doorway as she walked in.

"Oh you are leaving right now?" Ruby said surprised.

"Yea I have to" Aghony said smiling apologetically "Faolan's waiting downstairs for me I bet, and we need to scout out what places we are going to before we head out."

"I just thought we..." she said looking at the bed.

Aghony got a devilish smile on his face and came over quickly, taking her in his arms.

"Later" he growled softly "I promise."

Ruby smiled as he let go, watching him grab his jacket and start walking back towards the door. She wanted to say something...anything before he left.

"Aggie" Ruby said softly, hearing his nickname in her mouth.

Aghony turned, still smiling wide from the way she said his nickname that only his closest friends and family called him "Yes?"

She came over and adjusted his jacket, taking a big breathe before sighing bravely "You be careful out there? Ya hear?"

Aghony smiled and kissed her on the forehead before he left, leaving Ruby alone in the room. Strangely, she knew he would be okay...something in her heart told her so.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Aghony walked down the stairs of the main entrance, seeing Faolan waiting for him by the doors, his jeans torn while his shirt was old, ready to be ripped into if the occasion called for it.

"What's that shit eating grin for?" Faolan said smiling, his blonde hair pushed back as he came over to meet his friend.

"Nothing" Aghony said waving him off.

"You totally got laid" Faolan said laughing.

"Shut the hell up" Aghony said punching him in the arm "That's none of your business."

"Alright" Faolan said rolling his eyes "Just cool it smiley, I don't want people thinking I'm dating with the love struck look you got plastered on your face."

"Don't worry" Aghony said brushing his jacket "You aren't really my type anyway."

"Enough you girls" Qhuinn said coming down with Lowell, who had grown a nice goatee that made him look rugged and dashing.

"You ready Q?" Faolan said as Lowell slapped him on the back.

"As I'll ever be" Qhuinn said checking his weapons one more time.

They headed for the door when suddenly it opened, revealing the two dark Moors Trez and iAm, looking not too pleased at the moment.

"What's up fellas?" Qhuinn said looking at the Moors.

"Two things" Trez said "One, we need to speak to your king. And two" he said pointing towards Aghony "iAm wants to see his girl."

"His girl?" Aghony suddenly said, his voice turning quickly to a growl.

"Yea my girl" iAm said cooly "If it wasn't for you, she wouldn't be in this mess."

"If it wasn't for me!" Aghony said coming towards the Moor but Faolan and Lowell held him back steadily "Where the fuck were you when her apartment got torched?! I didn't see you flying in here when she was almost beaten to death!"

"You better watch it" iAm said, his fangs growing as he started to get pissed.

"Or what!" Aghony said, his fangs bared now, ready to fight like the primal male he was.

"BOYS!" they heard Ruby scream from the top of the stairs. Both males backed off and looked up at Ruby who stood like a angry mother with her arms crossed over her chest and her foot tapping on the ground.

"Do we really need to resort to violence right now?" she said, her voice hinting at how mad she was. Soon the king and queen were joining her at the top, Ruby looking the wolfen queen over before returning her gaze back to her two males.

"Ruby" Aghony started but she held her hand up firmly to him.

"Both of you better either take a good cold shower or apologize to one another before you even think about speaking to me" she said sternly. Aghony scoffed and looked away while iAm turned his gaze like a spoiled child.

"I like her already" Luna said to her mate as Mayhem shook his head at the scene.

"What's this about Trez?" Mayhem said calmly.

"I think you better get your Brotherhood together sir" Trez said"Because I think I've found out why lessers have been popping up like weeds."

The Brotherhood assembled in the king's office, everyone talking and waiting for the Moor to tell them what the hell was going on. Mayhem stood with Luna close to his side, his arm protectively wrapping around her waist, knowing she needed to know what was going on just like he did. Xhex gave the Moors hugs as she came in and then stood quietly be her own mate, John while Rhevenge nodded at both of them respectively. Ruby looked at all of them, their different body shapes and hair and eyes, and wondered if this was all really a dream she just had made up or if she really was standing in a room full of vampires with an angel popping nuts in his mouth casually as if this were any other day. Aghony stood beside her, his hand resting at her back every now and then just to let her know he was there, but iAm kept steady eyes on her as well.

"So Trez" Mayhem said once everyone was settled "Tell us what you know."

"We picked up two lessers the other night at the Iron Mask" Trez said pulling something out of his jacket "They were trying to get two males alone in one of the bathrooms, but one of my bartenders didn't think it was the usual meet and greet that happens. Specially because their smell was something awful. So she tipped me off and my and Xhex took them out and we found this one them. We don't really know what to make of it."

Trez pulled out a tiny vial with dark purple liquid the color of plums that swished in the container as he moved it in his hand.

Ruby took a look at the vial and instantly her heart sunk and she felt her knees give. Her skin turned pale white and her eyes grew as dark as the purple liquid that floated in the vial.

"Ruby?" Aghony said giving her a questioning look.

"Rube you okay?" iAm said knowing that look was never good with her.

"I..." she said getting closer to the vial "I know what that is."

"Please enlighten us" Mayhem said looking at the girl with worry as she shook coming closer to Trez and the vial.

"It's called Hypnus" Ruby said, trying to keep her voice from shaking "It's a paralytic drug that in small doses gets you very high, almost as if you are floating on air or dreaming. But if you take too much, your body becomes paralyzed, and even sometimes you black out for days until it's out of your system."

Automatically her arms crossed her chest, holding herself tightly as she stared at the drug.

"And you know this how?" Xhex said, watching the girl slowly shrink into herself, knowing she would shut down soon before they got their answers.

"Past experiences" Ruby said quietly.

"They could be drugging people on the streets" Aghony said trying to take the attention off of Ruby "They lure them in and drug them, and while they are knocked out they turn them. That must be how they are getting so many people so fast."

"Kidnappings have gone up in the last three to four months" Butch said staring at the vial "Most of them could just be ordinary people that got picked up off the street."

"They grab you..." Ruby said quietly "And hit you with it quick, so quick you don't even feel the needle."

"We need to find the supplier then" Tohr said.

"I could possibly help with that" Rhevenge said as he came towards the Moors.

"There's no need" Ruby said quietly again.

"What was that?" Rhevenge said not quite hearing her.

"I know where you can find it" Ruby said a little louder, realizing how quiet she was really being "I know who to talk to already to get us into who's dealing it out."

"Then it's settled" Tohr said "She leads us to the supplier, we knock it out before the lessers take anymore people."

"Now wait a second" Aghony said coming towards Ruby but she quickly held up her hand.

"I can do it Aggie" she said "I'll help enough to get you in, but I won't be a part of the fighting."

Aghony nodded at her, knowing she wouldn't change her mind about it. He knew that determined look when he saw it, she had the same look in her eye the moment she blasted a lessers head off with that shotgun.

"Ruby" iAm said quietly "You sure you want to go back there?"

"I have to" she said "Innocent people are getting hurt because of those assholes. I can't just sit here and not help when I can."

"Alright" iAm said darkly "But you get your ass out of there the moment something starts going sour, ya hear?"

"I hear" she said quietly turning back towards Aghony, too bad her heart wasn't hearing right at the moment...it was too busy screaming in fear.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Ruby watched out the window quietly, seeing the passing city lights blur by in the window while they drove to the club called Olympus. Olympus was a dance club on the seventy-third floor of a skyscraper that only catered to either the wealthy or the top drug dealers in town. Ruby knew about it only because she had gone there every time he wanted to get his fix, and give Ruby hers.

"You alright?" Aghony said taking her hand in his. Ruby looked over at him and tried to hide the panic in her face.

"Yep" she said "Just fine."

Aghony watched as she fidgeted out of his grasp and looked deep into the window once again. She had been like this ever since she agreed to help the Brotherhood find the supplier. No longer was she spunky, full of energy and smiles, but now she seemed recluse, drawn in and quiet, not wanting to really speak or talk to anyone. It was a complete one-eighty from the Ruby he was starting to get to know.

Vishous was at the wheel while Butch sat in the passenger seat. Faolan and Lowell sat in the back while Fhear was beside Aghony, watching to road ahead with his bright eyes against his dark skin.

"So who are we looking for?" Fhear said looking over at Ruby. Ruby looked over at the dark male and it reminded her almost of iAm the way his eyes seemed gentle but you knew he was a tough son of a bitch.

"His name is X" Ruby said rubbing her arms "He's a dealer and knows every buyer of Hypnus in the state of New York. Mostly because he's the middle man."

"And how do you know he's going to be there?" Butch asked curiously.

"He'll be there" Ruby said with such sureness the Brother didn't question her further.

"You said you had experience with this drug" Aghony said quietly "What kind of experience?"

Ruby bit her lip, trying to decide whether or not she really wanted to tell him. He was so sweet to her, so nice, something she had never really known since her parents. If he found out the things she had done...would he still want her?

"Ruby?" he said quietly still looking at her.

"Let's just say" Ruby said, her voice shaking a bit "It was a bad time in my life, and leave it at that."

Aghony watched as she pulled a little farther from him, her hands gliding in habit over her wrists where two scars stood out that he was surprised he hadn't noticed them before. Panic suddenly rolled through his stomach when he realized what kind of scars those were.

"Ruby..." he said softly taking her wrists in his hands. Quickly Ruby pulled away from him.

"Don't" she said looking away "Please..."

Aghony watched her eyes drift away again into her own world and slowly he gave up on trying to talk to her right now.

As the car pulled up to the building Ruby jumped out quickly, ready for some fresh air before she had to deal with the club upstairs. The other males joined her and waited for back-up that was supposed to arrive any minute now.

"One thing before we go in" Ruby said turning to the boys "I do all the talking, ya hear? You don't say a word unless I tell you too. X is tricky, and the only way we will get what we want is if I talk to him. Got it?"

Faolan playfully saluted her while Fhear and the others simply nodded at her, impressed by the way she took control in the face of them.

"There's back-up" Vishous said nodding over to the Escalade parked with Rhage waving at him from the window while Zsadist sat annoyed, probably because of the music Rhage had picked out.

"Lets go" Ruby said walking up to the doors. The golden lobby looked nice enough, like a fancy hotel except with no guests walking about or receptionists, just silent halls as they made their way to the elevator. Ruby let the boys in first and then stepped in, wanting to be the first one to enter the room when they got up there. She looked down at herself and checked herself over to see if the bouncers would even take a look at her. She was wearing a short red skirt with a white tank top and a black leather jacket Xhex had let her borrow with black shit kickers that Xhex had also lent to her. Ruby liked Xhex, and for some reason she felt the female liked her too because all the males seemed a bit surprised with how quickly she had warmed up to Ruby.

Ruby felt at home in the mansion, she got along with everybody, and everyone seemed to like her. But she knew she couldn't stay, the king even told her so. Pain started in Ruby's chest as she thought about leaving everyone in the mansion, knowing it would hurt her to be taken away from such a big family once again...

The elevator doors opened and Ruby took a deep breathe and stepped forward. She could hear music booming behind the elegant golden doors as the chandelier above her jingled with the vibrations of the bass. Two bouncers stood as one looked the group up and down as they approached, but Ruby was looking at the bouncer with the clip-board.

"Name?" the bouncer said looking down at her and then back up at the males behind her.

"No name" she said "We are here to see X."

"You have an appointment?" he said suspiciously.

"Tell him Marvel is here" she said winking at him.

The bouncer on the other side talking into a tiny mic that was attached to his headset. After a few moments the bouncer nodded at the other and he hit a few buttons to his side.

"Come on in Ms. Marvel" the bouncer said smiling.

"Thanks" Ruby said again walking past as the males looked at each other questioningly.

The golden room was now gone and darkness with techno lights blazing every which way spun in the air as the music was almost deafening to the ears. But the high class of the city were all here, the women plucked and primped up with their hair swinging wildly and their dresses short while the men sat in luxury suits and ties, drinking in the scene while doing drugs on the side.

"Reminds me of ZeroSum" Butch shouted looking at Vishous.

"Yea" Ruby piped up "Except ZeroSum didn't have multimillionaires doing blow in the open."

They walked in a group past people, some staring at the gods that had walked in and others too high to really notice them anyway, but eventually Ruby led them to some swanky double doors with two more bouncers that let them in this time with no problem.

As they entered the room they were greeted by even more darkness, with black lights lighting up whatever glowed underneath their purple light.

Ruby saw X, sitting on a white couch with a neon blue suit as his skin glowed like the moon while his eyes looked almost brighter than Vishous's in the neon. His blonde dreadlocks were pulled back as two honeys sat next to him, their lipstick and nails glowing under the darkness.

"Ruby Marvel" X said smiling as his teeth glowed.

"X" she said quietly coming towards the couch.

"I thought you were dead" X said picking up a little packet of blow and handing it to one of the girls.

"I almost was" Ruby said seriously.

"Well glad to see you here" X said leaning back on the couch "Girls, why don't you give us some space?"

The two girls got up and sauntered off into a doorway that was hidden in all the dark. X waited till they were gone before turning back to Ruby.

"Let me guess" X said standing up "You are here for some more? I'll still give you discount, just because I still like you."

"I need you to tell me who is the main supplier of Hypnus" Ruby said dodging his question.

"Well that is very private" X said fixing his neon blue suit "I can't give away that kind of information."

"You will for me" Ruby said coming towards him.

"And what makes you think that" X said losing his smile.

"Because X" Ruby said getting in his face "I remember a certain someone being in the car the night you and that asshole dropped me off in the middle of nowhere drugged out of my mind? Do you remember X?"

The middle-man got quiet all of a sudden "Ruby you know I would have stopped him-"

"And you didn't!" Ruby said, her voice rising a bit "You left me for dead. You left me stranded instead of taking me to the hospital, you pulled the lowest move and left me on the curb for someone else to deal with me! I almost died X! He almost killed me! And for what?! What did he do for you? He fucking used you just like he used me and you still let him get away with it!"

"Ruby-" said Aghony

"Shut up!" she said turning to him and back to X.

"Look I'm sorry..." X said, seeing the fire in Ruby's eyes that glowed under the blacklight.

"Sorry doesn't fucking cut it X" she said "Now tell me who's dealing it out. You owe me that much."

"I can tell you where to go" X said "But to who is dealing it out...well" he said looking away and back to her "That's something you are going to have to deal with yourself."


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

"This is it" Vishous said looking the place over as they stood about a block away from the building that was supposedly making the Hypnus for people. It seemed average like all of the other buildings that surrounded it. Small vintage shops that were closed for the night stood silent as a liquor store's neon sign glowed CLOSED on the other side of the street. Then there was the building, a few windows, nothing special around brick layering and a door with a few more bolts than normal for a regular business door.

"How should we go in?" Faolan said looking around.

"There is a back entrance way" Aghony said looking the building over "The front door has too many locks, so whoever did that thinks that if there was an intruder that they would go through the front door first, so back way it is. They probably have a loading dock that we can get on and easily access the inside. It doesn't look like anyone is home, but that's probably because there is at least one or two of them in there."

Ruby looked over at Aghony and shook her head, smiling for the first time tonight.

"What?" Aghony said looking at her, enjoying the smile.

"Clever" she said quietly "Real clever."

"She should get out of here" Fhear said "It might get ugly."

"No" Ruby said shaking her head "You need to know if whatever is in there is really Hypnus, there could be decoys and you smash the wrong product."

"Why don't we just blow the whole place up?" Faolan said anxious to do something. The moon was almost full tonight, and he could feel his body kicking to change.

"That would make too much of a scene" Butch said shaking his head "The last thing we need is the police investigating arson."

"So we go in"Aghony said "Don't make a scene, and make sure that all the Hypnus is destroyed?"

The males nodded as Ruby stared at the building still wondering what X meant when suddenly Aghony was right beside her.

"If anyone starts shooting" he said handing her a gun "you get the hell out of there. Use this if you have to, but don't try and fight with us. I can handle a few bullets, you can't."

"Alright" Ruby said taking the gun and sticking it through her skirt lining on her back.

"Oh and one more thing" he said pulling her close to him. Ruby felt his lips touch hers briefly, her arms barely beginning to hold him when he pulled away. Ruby felt her knees shake a bit and then regained control. She followed closely behind as the group found the loading dock and proceeded to open the locked door that was, like Aghony predicted, not as heavily guarded as the front door.

"Dumbasses" Fhear said picking the lock perfectly as they quietly entered the building. All was dark through the large building, which now looked more like a warehouse than a shop as the moonlight poured through the windows, giving the concrete floor some light as the steel rafters above creaked a little from the wind outside.

Suddenly Faolan and Lowell pricked up, hearing something the others could not.

"Voices" Faolan said signaling forward as they walked down a large hallway. Ruby heard them now, muttering away with one another as the clink of glasses and the hiss of smoke sounded in the air.

Vishous signaled the others but Ruby wasn't watching him. Her ears were focused on a particular voice...a voice she recognized. Slowly she moved forward, ignoring the hisses and pulls at her from the others as she walked into the room, the figures a ways away from her, their backs turned as they stared down at the table filled with chemistry items it reminded her of a meth lab. Aghony watched as Ruby's eyes got wide and quickly came to her side, thinking if they didn't see her, they were not going to notice him either.

Faolan groaned softly and followed his friend, standing on the other side of Ruby as he watched the three figures meddle with their chemistry set. Something was off with Ruby though...her skin had turned pale white while her breathing was shallow as she watched the three figures closely. Faolan looked at Aghony, but he only shrugged not knowing what to do.

Ruby watched him, the one in the middle. It was him...although his hair was no longer spikey blonde but now white, and his skin had grown from tan to pale, she still knew that body, knew that posture and that voice.

It was him...

It was Jay.

Anger suddenly rose into Ruby's chest, flaming the fire and making her veins burn like battery acid as hate started filling her lungs and she breathed out smoke. Her hand suddenly shot behind her and the gun was up and ready.

"Ruby don't!" Aghony said but her finger had already pulled the trigger. The shot flew and splattered glass everywhere, making the three subjects jump and look behind them.

It was almost like it was in slow motion for Ruby. The glass busted into pieces, his face turned and her mind plagued her with old memories. Those eyes looking her up and down, that once perfect smile that sent her sighing like a school girl, those hands touching her most intimate parts, ever moment with him suddenly flashed and then suddenly she remembered the way he looked down at her...his face wet from the falling rain that had poured that night he left her on the curb, his eyes blank and emotionless...like she was just a piece of trash to be thrown away...

Another shot rang out from her, almost hitting him right in that fucking face.

Suddenly he registered who was shooting at him and his eyes got wide as worlds.

"Ruby?" he said as his lip curled.

Ruby felt the rage run through her just by the sound of her name "I'm going to fucking kill you!" she yelled at him, firing another shot. One thing she knew about Jay, he knew when he was out-matched. He bolted straight across the room, Ruby's bullets flying past him as he exited the door. Ruby felt her feet move before she noticed Aghony screaming her name, but it was too late. She was going in for the kill, and nobody was going to stop her.

Ruby was right out the door after Jay, his hands flying beside his body as he sprinted through the hallway that led to other businesses. Ruby held up the gun, aiming her best as she ran, hitting him once or twice but he just kept running. They zing-zagged till they ran outside, Ruby out of bullets as she put the gun away through her skirt and ran towards the liquor store. Jay was running in, his body crashing through the glass and getting up like it was nothing. Ruby jumped through the window, her leg cutting right into a piece of glass, but adrenaline was kicking in and she wasn't feeling anything but pure hatred.

Her boots crashed against glass as she saw him, standing at the back of the store, trapped with only her in his way. Which right now...was more than enough to scare him.

"I thought" he said as his eyes squinted at her.

"You thought I was dead" she finished for him, hating the sound of his voice.

"Oh come on baby" Jay said holding up his hands, flashing her a smile "You are just taking this too hard. People break up. Things happen."

Ruby suddenly grabbed a bottle of whiskey from the shelf and popped it open.

"That's right" Jay said, his voice trying to soothe her "Just take a drink and we will figure this out. Just like the old days."

Suddenly her hand tore a piece of her skirt away and stuffed it into the bottle. Jay suddenly realized what she was doing as his voice became nice to pissed instantly.

"Listen bitch" he said "It's not my fault you didn't know how to handle your shit!"

"My shit!" Ruby said knocking a shelf over, broken bottles of alcohol spilling over onto the floor "You mean the shit you put in me! The shit that you said would make me feel good!? That you used to control me! To do everything you asked for!?" Ruby kicked another shelf over, glass breaking everywhere as the liquor poured like a waterfall over every thing.

"Oh fuck you!" Jay said trying to get control over her like he had before "You sound like a broken record Ruby. You wanted it, and you know it!"

"No Jay!" Ruby said screaming now "I didn't want it! And every time I told you so you know what I got!? I fucking got a needle in the arm and a voice telling me to go to sleep and I would forget everything! And you think I don't remember?!" she said as her hand swiped over the counter, picking up a lighter in the process. She knew he didn't see, he was too busy thinking of how to get passed her.

"Remember what?" he said sneering.

"The night I tried to leave" Ruby said quietly now "You found me and beat the hell out of me..."

"It was for your own fucking good" Jay said shaking his head "You know I couldn't just let you go like that" he said coming closer to her and instinctively she backed up "I still won't let you go..."

Ruby felt her heart start to beat fast and then stopped it suddenly, knowing what he was doing. Knowing that he was trying to use his power over her to get to her before she did the unthinkable.

"Come on Rube" he said purring at her "Don't be like this. I'll take you back, everything will just go back to how it used to...remember?"

Ruby backed up and stepped lightly over the window, watching him in the middle of the store as her eyes stared at him lifeless.

"Yea" she said "I remember..."

Suddenly the lighter in her hand flicked open, and the piece of cloth in the bottle was lit in her hand.

"Now you can too" she said as her arm threw the Molotov cocktail into the air, smashing on the alcohol soaked floor and lighting the whole building on fire instantly. Ruby was thrown back as the flames exploded through the window, knocking her back on her head hard.

She felt the warmth of the flames surround her, hearing the voices of Aghony and the others scream for her, but they were too late as the darkness took her in.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

"_That bitch" _he thought as he dragged himself away from the burning building, watching the vampires that she had no doubt come with huddle around her and carry her to safety while sirens blazed in the distance.

He had barely made it out alive, his skin burnt to a crisp that made him think of how a fried chicken must feel. But he was alive, fucking hell, he was alive.

His charcoal hands grasped and pulled at the ground till he found himself propped up against a dumpster, trying to breathe from his burnt chest.

"_If I ever see that bitch again_" he thought to himself "_She's fucking dead._"

It was true, he had fucked over Ruby over a thousand times when they were together, and after each time he fucked her and made all the bad memories disappear. She was the perfect puppet, and from the look she had given him when he tried to smooth her over, she still was. She was now on the side of the enemy, which could make her valuable if he got her in the right place at the right time. Then he would do it, what he should have done the moment she tried to sneak away from him.

"You have failed me" the dark voice said from the shadows.

"How?" he rasped, knowing that voice.

"The Host was supposed to come to you, that was the deal when I turned you" the Omega said, stepping from the darkness into the lamp light of building.

"Who?" Jay said holding his chest "You mean that bitch Ruby?"

"She is the Host" the Omega said cornering him "And she was supposed to come to you."

"Why the fuck..." but he already knew. Ruby was the one that fucker H had been sent to get and got burnt to a crisp. Suddenly Jay laughed, knowing Ruby must have got him good, she always was a hard bitch when she got mad.

"I'm sorry" he said rasping "I didn't know it was supposed to be her. I can get her master, now that I know."

"I'll give you one...last...chance" the Omega said getting closer to him, a black hand slithering out of the white robes he wore.

"And if you fuck this up" he hissed "I'll eat your body raw."

Jay hissed loudly as the black ooze dripped into his body, restoring the flesh that had been burnt off. Yes he would get her, now that she was the one they were looking for.

He would get her...and he would make her pay.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Aghony watched Ruby sleeping in his bed, her chest going up and down slowly as if she were sleeping. Doc Jane said the impact on her head was going to be fine, just to keep a watch on her is all. And watch he was.

How could she have run off like that? And who was the lesser she shot at?

Aghony rubbed his eyes in frustration, confused about everything. Maybe he had rushed into this too fast, there was a lot about Ruby he didn't know, and in the beginning that seemed fine. But she had been a loose cannon the other night, he needed to know what was going on with her.

Suddenly iAm entered the room, and his eyes were fixed on Ruby laying in the bed.

"You okay?" he suddenly asked, looking over at Aghony.

"Yea I'm fine" Aghony said shrugging "It's her I'm worried about."

iAm sighed and closed the door. He walked steadily over and took a seat next to the balcony doors of the room, his hands rubbing together as if he had something to say.

"Ruby is..." he started.

"Complicated" Aghony sighed "And I have no clue why. You heard about what she did right?"

"I did" iAm said nodding "And I have a feeling who she was shooting at. Ruby only hates one person on this world and that might have been him."

"Who the hell is he?" Aghony said, his mind ready for answers.

"Her ex" iAm said shaking his head "He treated her so bad...for so long. Hell, I really don't know everything he did to her. She was messed up when I found her."

"What do you mean found her?" Aghony said turning towards him. He checked over at Ruby quickly, hoping she wouldn't hear this conversation.

"Aghony" iAm said closing his eyes "When I found Ruby, she was huddled next to a garbage bin with her wrists cut up and half dead."

Aghony sat there in silence, knowing the scars on her wrists were no accident.

"And when I got her to the hospital, they told me she was severely malnourished and was hopped up on so many drugs it's a miracle she didn't die from an overdose" he said his eyes getting dark "She was left out in the middle of the city, hadn't eaten or showered in days, was soaking wet. She should have been dead, but she wasn't. I took her in, got her clean and normal, but Aghony...the girls got demons. So many I don't know if you are aware of how messed up she really is."

"She's not messed up to me" Aghony said shaking his head "I know I can help her."

"Are you sure?" iAm said "Because she doesn't trust anyone. Not even me. Life's been hard on her, and half the time I'm just guessing what she's feeling."

"I can help her" Aghony said standing "I want to make her life better, help her just like you did. I don't care what she's done in the past, all I see is her future, and I want to be part of it."

"And what happens when you can't be anymore?" iAm said standing too "What happens when you have to become Primale? I know you have to do it Aghony so don't bullshit me. What happens to her? I will not have her dead on my doorstep again from being hurt, she can't take it."

"I will never give her up" Aghony said "I'll find a way around it. I'm not going to leave her. I can't even if I wanted to."

"If you say so" iAm said walking past him towards the door "And I hate to be cliché but if you do hurt her, I will kill you" he said opening the door "That's a promise."

Aghony nodded at the Moor, understand that when they made promises, they intended to keep them.

As the door closed Aghony looked back over to Ruby, and steeled his heart for what he had to do to her. He needed to know what he meant to her...and he needed to know what happened to her.

Otherwise, there was no helping her.

* * *

Ruby woke up soaking in a hot bath, the warm water cascading around her as she lay peaceful in the tub. Suddenly memories of what happened flashed through her mind and she sat up quickly, holding the back of her head that was tender from the blast.

"Glad you are awake" she heard Aghony say behind her.

Steadily she wrapped her arms around her breasts and let her legs kneel up into a ball. She had some explaining to do...there was no doubt about it in Aghony's tone.

"I'm sorry" she said quietly, watching him come around the tub and sit on the ground beside her. The tub was lower into the floor, so she was staring up at Aghony rather than down.

"I think you owe me an explanation" he said, his face serious as it looked at her evenly. She saw no trace of anger, or resentment, just a neutral stare that scared her senseless.

"I know I do" Ruby said shaking her head "But I don't think now is the right time-"

"You need to tell me" he said, his voice hard "I need to know what the hell happened to you back there. You have a past, I need to know about it."

"My past is just full of bad memories" Ruby said shaking her head "I don't want to go into them right now."

"Fine Ruby" Aghony said standing up "But I can't help you unless you tell me what's going on. You almost got yourself killed you know that!? And I am tired of seeing you laying half dead in my arms."

"I'm sorry!" Ruby said looking at him, the tears starting to form in her eyes "I don't know what go into me...I just..."

"You just what?" Aghony said looking down at her, his hands out waiting for some reply.

Ruby sunk lower into the tub, trying to hide herself in the water as best as she could.

"Ruby" Aghony said softly "I need to know."

"Look a lot of bad shit happened to me!" she said snapping at him "I've been orphaned since I was a baby, and when I did get adopted a house fire killed my parents. I've been on my own ever since and I haven't had a lot of good going for me until now, so just drop it okay?!"

"I can't just drop it!" Aghony said his voice raising "I can't just let you go about and not tell me things, because the next time you run off shooting at someone you might end up dead! And I can't lose you Ruby! It would kill me!"

"Why!" she said standing up "Why do I matter so much to you?! You barely even know me!"

"Because I care about you!" he said shouting now as loud as her "And I do know you Ruby! You are kind, and gentle and fun! You have an amazing heart and I'll die before I let that go!"

Ruby sat back down quietly, hearing his words echo in the bathroom, so sure everyone in the mansion probably heard them.

"Please" he said quietly "Tell me what happened."

Ruby sighed "It's a long story."

"And I'm ready for it" he said sitting back down "Your parents died, and I'm sorry about that. What caused the fire?"

"Arson" Ruby said quietly "And they never caught who did it."

"How old were you?" he said.

"Ten" she said quietly "And I got put in foster home after foster home. It was horrible."

"I'm sorry" Aghony said shaking his head "What happened next?"

"I was seventeen" she said sighing "And rebellious. That's when I met Jay."

"He's the one you shot at?" Aghony said looking at her steadily.

"Yes" she said quietly, holding her knees tighter to herself "He was friends with one of my friends and we just instantly hit it off. He was this cool bad boy, and like a dumbass I fell for him hard."

"Okay" Aghony said as her eyes began to mist over with memory.

"At first everything was okay" she said "But then Jay started getting into drugs, just small stuff like weed and pills. But then he got into Hypnus, and it started just as another pill. He gave me one, told me it would make me feel good. And that was the first time he had sex with me. I woke up and he was on top of me and I thought everything was okay. I thought "He's my boyfriend, this is what we are supposed to do." So I didn't fight it. And he treated me so good because of it. But then the liquid form of Hypnus came out, and we were getting high all the time. He made me his mule one day, carrying drugs from one place to another, and then he started dealing it himself. That's when I met X and things started getting real bad. His apartment was always filled with druggies, sometimes he would make me do things with some of the guys. And when I said no he would always hit me with a needle full of drugs or drug whatever I was drinking. I was a puppet on a string."

Aghony watched her as her eyes began filling with tears, his heart breaking from what was coming from her mouth.

"And then I got pregnant...he...I lost it..." she said quietly "That's when I knew I had to leave him. I had three broken ribs by the time he was done. And the night I tried to sneak away, he found out. He beat me so bad that night, and injected me with too many drugs so instead of just going to sleep I went completely limp. They knew they had given me too much and so they dragged me into the middle of the city and dumped me on the curb. I was just trash to him, he had been fucking different girls left and right but he had chosen me to keep. And then he just threw me away. I walked for days, not knowing where I was and finally..." she said taking a deep breathe "I sat down and decided that I would be better off dead" she said looking at her wrists.

"And that's when iAm found you?" Aghony said quietly.

"Yea" she said sniffing back tears "He was so nice...and it was the first time I felt safe. I couldn't tell him all the things I did...I felt like he would like I was just some druggie whore. That's why I didn't want to tell you" she said looking up at him "Because now you will think less of me."

Aghony shook his head and Ruby felt fear grip her heart. Never had she told the whole story of what happened, and now this was the exact reaction she was so scared of. Soon Aghony would walk out the door and she would be kicked out of the mansion...because she was filth, and didn't deserve him or his kindness.

Suddenly Aghony stood up and Ruby braced herself for him to leave. But slowly he walked behind her and slid in the tub, clothes on and everything. Ruby scooted forward, shocked at his reaction as he scooted into her and wrapped his strong arms around her naked body.

"I don't think less of you" he said kissing the back of her head, his nose deep in her wet hair, smelling her beautiful scent "I think you have been dealt a bad hand of cards, and I think you are very brave for getting where you are today."

"Really?" Ruby said, her voice barely a whisper.

"Really" he said "And I want you to know that I'm proud of you for telling me the truth. No matter what happens, no matter what you have done, I'm here for you. Through thick and thin."

Slowly his fingers wrapped around her hand and she entwined her fingers into his.

"Thank you" she said quietly.

Aghony gave her another kiss on the back of her head and just held her. And for the first time, Ruby felt loved.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

"So that's why she fired the gun at him. I honestly don't blame her" Aghony said to the Brotherhood during their meeting after the little run in the other night. Aghony had to tell the Brotherhood at least a fraction of Ruby's past, or else she would be plagued with questions from the king and others. He didn't want her to go through that.

"Well" Faolan said "That's good enough for me. Asshole deserved it."

"True" Zsadist said from the fireplace "I'd give her a break."

Mayhem nodded "A break she will get then. Plus we did destroy the lab did we not?"

"Got it all taken care of" Vishous said lighting a cigar.

"Well let's still keep a watch on things" Tohr said "Can't have more lessers popping up. I think we should get more field time in for new recruits. Have a Brother on each team so there are no screw ups."

"Agreed" Mayhem said sighing "Thank you all. I think we all deserve a day of relaxation for now. I'll schedule a meeting with the princep council to make arrangements. Don't forget that the Spring Festival is in two days, we will be having it in the back gardens."

Aghony walked out of the room when suddenly Faolan was slapping him on the back "Some day?" he said.

"Yea some day" Aghony said as they walked down the hallway alone.

"So are you going to take Ruby to the Spring Festival?" Faolan said trying to connect with his friend.

"I think so" Aghony said "We really connected yesterday and things seem to be going okay. Are you taking anyone?"

"I'm taking Artemis" Faolan said waving him off "Where is Ruby now?"

"With Lassiter" Aghony said smiling.

"Whoa!" Faolan said faking being shocked "You left her alone with a male?"

"Please" Aghony said rolling his eyes "Ruby for some reason mother hens him and he soaks up the attention like a toddler."

Faolan laughed "Glad to see you loosen up a bit."

Aghony just shrugged and they walked into the Pit where Ruby and Lassiter were playing a dancing game on one of the many games systems the mansion had.

"I'm...kicking...ass.." Ruby said between breaths. Lassiter was trying to keep up, his hair being pulled up in a ponytail as he was sweating in a T-shirt and sweats. Aghony looked at the angel for a minute, surprised he wasn't in leathers for a change, while Ruby was dancing her butt off in a tank top and shorts.

"I hate this game" Faolan said huffing "I'm just not coordinated enough."

The song ended and Ruby and Lassiter both collapsed on the ground. Aghony shook his head and laughed as he moved over to Ruby and scooped her up in his arms.

"Having fun?" he joked as her hair was wild from the dancing.

"Yep" she said her head hanging back "Lassiter needs lessons on how to lose though, we've been going at it all morning."

"I don't give up easily" Lassiter said shrugging "She should have figured that out by round six."

"Thanks for keeping her entertained" Aghony said laughing.

"Any time" Lassiter said "Now I'm going to go pass out somewhere quiet."

Aghony let Ruby down slowly and took her by the hand out of the Pit and down the hallway, their comfortable silence filling in the vast hallway.

"So I have a question for you" Aghony said once they made it to their room.

Ruby walked in and stripped off her pants and shirt, ready to take a nice hot shower.

"What's that?" she said throwing the clothes into the laundry shoot. When she didn't get an answer she turned and saw Aghony eyeballing her up and down. Shivers went through her body and she leaned against the couch smiling at him.

"See something you like?" she hinted as her head turned slightly.

Aghony came over to her and kissed her neck deeply, a small growl escaping his mouth.

"Maybe" he purred at her.

Ruby bent up and kissed him gently, knowing she must stink from all the dancing she did.

"Let me take a shower and then we will talk" she said leaving him standing there as she moved into the bathroom. Aghony stood there for a moment, thinking about what to do with himself as he heard the water turn on. After yesterday, his emotions had been pretty strung out, but now alone, something else hit his mind completely off guard.

What was he going to do when he had to become the Primale? He couldn't just leave Ruby, that was out of the question now. Maybe he could make a deal with the Scribe Virgin...He knew he couldn't go on without Ruby...not after what iAm said.

Even the notion of losing her sent a shiver down his spine and made his insides hurt. No, he wouldn't do that to her, he couldn't. He didn't feel obligated, but his heart would break if she got subjected to any more pain than she had already gone through. What would he do with himself if she were not with him? He would just go back to the every day to day, a bland life without her light in it.

Thinking about a life without her made his stomach hurt more and he thought about her just in the other room...in the shower.

Want swept over him, and it almost hurt him not to go right into that bathroom and strip down just to feel her body next to his in that warm water. The hard on in his pants ached but he begged it to go away. She had poured herself to him yesterday, he was pretty sure the last thing she wanted was a romp in the shower...

Aghony shook himself silly, trying to get his mind on something else. Slowly he walked out on to the balcony that looked over the gardens of the mansion. The stars were shining bright tonight, and he knew life seemed a little better because Ruby was in it.

Yes, he would make a deal with the Scribe Virgin, somehow, no matter what she wanted, he would give it to her to be able to stay with Ruby...

"Aghony?" he heard her call from inside the room. Slowly he turned to see her standing in the middle of the room with just a towel wrapped around that curved body.

"What are you doing out there?" she said smiling.

"Just thinking" Aghony said shaking his head as he walked back into the room. Ruby looked him up and down and sensed something was off with him.

"What's up?" she said coming towards him.

"Nothing" he said shaking his head again.

"No don't give me that" Ruby said pulling his arm around her "You drilled me the other night, I have the right to know at least what's going through that thick skull sometimes."

"I just have a lot on my mind" he said kissing her forehead.

"Well is there anything I can do?" Ruby said nuzzling into his chest, her wet hair soaking him a little bit, but he hardly minded.

"You could take off the towel" he joked.

"Whatever" Ruby said laughing.

"There is something I need to ask you though" he said looking at her as she dressed in just a T-shirt and panties.

"What's that" she said tossing her hair around.

"There's this thing called the Spring Festival" he said looking at the window "It's sort of a tradition with my race, I was wondering if you wanted to go with me."

"Like a date?" Ruby said smiling at him.

"No!" Aghony scoffed as a sly smile spread across his face.

"Aghony I think you are _slightly _blushing" she teased as she walked over to him.

"Must just be from the cold air" Aghony said turning away.

"Right" Ruby said as she pushed her body against his.

Aghony felt her body against his, the smoothness of her curves and the softness of her breasts against his chest. He growled a bit as she kissed along his neck, her hands moving up his shirt and across his chest.

"Ruby" he growled at her but she was having too much fun teasing him. Slowly her hands went for his pants and he hissed when she gripped his thickness.

"You sure there's not something you want?" she teased at him. Aghony gave her a wicked smile and grabbed her quickly, tossing her under him as he nearly ripped the T-shirt off of her body. His mouth was hot against her skin as his hands worked her down where she wanted him most of all. Ruby worked her legs to remove his pants quickly, the passion between her thighs wanting nothing more than to feel him inside of her once more. Her emotions had been pent up, and this release was what she needed.

Aghony scooped her up once more and landed her in the middle of the bed, her panties now well off and her body ready for anything.

His hands glided up and down across her wetness, her moans escaping her mouth from how good it felt.

"You sure there's not something you want?" he teased.

Ruby smiled and got up, tackling him to the bed as she slid down on his thickness, taking him all in. Aghony moaned instantly as she moved on him, her hands gripping the edge of the bed from for support. She moved fast on top of him, grinding as his hands gripped her hips, driving him deeper and deeper inside of him.

Ruby felt herself climaxing, the waves of pleasure hitting her hard. Aghony felt her coming and swiftly moved her off of him and pined her down as he pumped himself into her, forcing her body to climax harder as he dove deeper into her. Ruby couldn't hold back anymore as her nails dug into her skin, her cries of pleasure escaping her as her whole body gave under him. The dark spicy bonding scent wafted through the air as Aghony claimed Ruby as his, finishing hard inside of her.

Ruby felt Aghony collapsed on top of her, his hands gripping her body closer to him, as if trying to melt their bodies together in this perfect moment.

Ruby felt her fingers playing with Aghony's hair as he lay on top of her, his breathing slow and even as he held her closer to him. Her body was at total ease, being fully pleasured and satisfied with life.

"Aghony?" she said softly.

"Yes _leelan_?" he said nuzzling her.

"I'd love to go with you" she said kissing his head.

"Then it's a date" he said.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

"How do I look?" Ruby said coming out of the bathroom, her arms extended out like a mannequin in a department store.

Lassiter was watching TV in the bedroom and looked over at her casually before both his pierced eyebrows popped up in surprise.

"Wow" he whistled at her "You look lovely."

"You think?" she said looking down at herself. She had chosen a white spring dress, with laced ruffles at the end of the skirt and the top had laced straps that held up a sweetheart lining that made her feel very exposed but also very elegant.

"That dress is pretty on you" Lassiter said getting up and looking her over one more time "It flatters your curves."

"Listen to you!" Ruby said laughing "You sound like some fashion designer."

"I do watch a lot of reality TV" Lassiter said laughing "But really, you look nice."

"Nice?" Ruby said fake sneering at him.

"Well as nice as you can look, with a face like that" Lassiter teased.

"Oh" Ruby said pouting "That hurt you big meanie."

"Don't worry" Lassiter said offering his arm "You look great. Aghony's jaws going to drop the minute he sees you."

"He said he would be waiting at the end of the stairs outside" Ruby said taking the angel's arm.

"Well I'll lead you there" the angel said smiling, his white eyes seeming to be very pleased in her company. Lassiter was becoming more and more attached to this female for some reason. He didn't think of her in any way other than a friend, and a small part of him was glad about it. He didn't want to contend with Aghony over Ruby.

They walked down the hallway, hearing various voices through the halls as everyone began going out to the gardens. Most of the males were dressed nicely in suits and jackets, while Lassiter just walked around bare chested beside her.

"One day" she said to her angel "You are going to have to put some clothes on."

"When that day comes mother" Lassiter said laughing "You'll be the first one to see."

Lassiter stopped for a moment, feeling something odd in his chest. He had called Ruby mother...and for some reason he had felt a pull in his chest. Odd...that never happened before...

"Lass?" Ruby said looking him up and down "You alright?"

"Fine" he said shaking his shoulders a bit "Just probably ate too much during lunch. I feel a little weird."

"Well I can walk by myself you know?" she said putting her hands on his arms "Why don't you go lie down for a bit?"

"I think I just might" Lassiter said not looking at her. He was feeling strange, stranger than usual...

"Go on" she said patting him "I'll tell you all what happened tomorrow."

"Alright" he said giving her a smile before disappearing.

Ruby stood there stunned for a moment before getting control of herself. Of course an angel wouldn't have a regular exit strategy. There was a lot she needed to get used to...

As others passed she got friendly hello's and how are you's from people she had seen but hadn't been formally introduced. Faolan caught her right before she was about to go outside with a slap on the back.

"Hey pretty lady" Faolan said with a girl by his side.

"Hello yourself" she said hitting him back "Who is this?"

"Artemis" the girl said extending her hand as Ruby took it. Ruby noticed that Artemis's eyes were a variation of yellow, just like Faolan's.

"You are a wolfen too?" Ruby said surprised.

"Yes" Artemis said laughing "But Vishous adopted me and my sister. We've been a part of this family for a long time."

"Well I've only been a part of it for about a week" Ruby said shrugging.

"That's alright" Artemis said smiling, her dark black hair in beautiful waves around her "We like you well enough, hope you have fun tonight!" she said waving as Faolan exited out the door with her. Ruby took a deep breathe, almost scared to go outside in front of everyone. Surely they all knew about her, at least what she had gone through since Aghony had to tell them what happened...

Shivers went down her spine thinking about it all, and she felt queasy herself. They would all know...they would all know what she went through...

Suddenly a big hand rested on Ruby's shoulder and she nearly jumped ten feet in the air. When she turned though, there was the big male Zsadist with the scar down his face. The scar didn't scare her for some reason...actually she didn't feel scared at all by him.

"Sorry" she said smiling at him "I got lost in thought and didn't hear anyone behind me."

"It's okay" Zsadist said looking down at her.

"So where's your date?" Ruby said looking around.

"It's alright" Zsadist said putting both hands on her shoulders "What happened. It's okay. I know what it feels like but, everyone here has had bad shit happen to them. No one is going to judge you for having a bad past, me especially."

Ruby swallowed hard and looked down at the ground "But it matters to me. I just don't feel..." she said looking towards the door.

"Good enough?" Zsadist finished for her "Believe me, I get that shit. I felt like I didn't deserve jack shit for a long time. But then someone came along and made me believe that I was. You gotta just accept that kind of love, or else you'll just end up hurting more, true?"

"True" Ruby said nodding "I'm just scared."

"Aren't we all?" Zsadist said patting her on the back "Now go on out there or I'll drag you out there myself."

Ruby watched the big hulk of a male walk past her and meet with a beautiful female that looked over at Ruby with a big smile before they both disappeared outside.

Ruby took a deep breathe, straightened out her skirt, and walked outside into the spring air.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Ruby walked outside and was amazed at how beautiful the gardens looked. Everywhere around the hedges and bushes were strung with twinkling lights, along with beautiful paper lanterns hanging everywhere, lighting the gardens magnificently.

Ruby took it all in, smelling the wonderful fragrances that wafted through the air. Everyone from the mansion, along with a few guests and doggen were strung around the gardens, talking and laughing like it was just a normal get together. Ruby looked towards the stairs that led down into the gardens when she saw Aghony standing there, his hands in his pockets, looking at the crowd with almost a sad stare.

Ruby walked down the first few steps, her eyes never leaving him, enjoying this private look at him when he wasn't aware of her. He was so handsome, and kind, and had been so understanding through everything that had happened.

Ruby suddenly felt a small flutter in her heart, one that she thought was dead after everything that had happened.

She stopped dead on the stairs and put her hand to her heart, feeling the lightness inside of her chest like a humming bird was floating around in there. Could she be...after everything? She looked back to Aghony and he was still staring at the crowd and suddenly...she caught herself smiling.

Quickly it went away, unsure of what she was really feeling. She had been in love before, had felt this sensation, but was it real? Was she really feeling this again? Was it real or was it just going to turn out to be another bad fantasy that she had only dreamed about.

Suddenly Aghony turned and saw her, his eyes widening and his mouth opening slightly at the sight of her. Ruby felt herself blushing intensely and bit her lip from breaking out into a big smile.

Aghony felt his heart stop for a minute when he first saw her. He had been thinking about everything that had happened with his family, how he was going to be forced to do what he knew he couldn't to save them all, and for a minute, he wondered if it was really worth it to keep Ruby...

And then he saw her, and his heart told him that, yes, she was worth it. Her beautiful hair had been swept up in a messy ponytail, which really made her look elegant with the different strands floating around her face. The white dress that was light around her body made her look like an angel coming down from heaven. Aghony had been stunned the minute he saw her.

Ruby blushed and walked down towards him, stopping just inches from him as he still stared down at her in wonder.

"Well" she said smiling up at him.

"Wow" he said his eyes getting bigger.

"Don't make fun!" Ruby said laughing.

"You look beautiful" he said still shocked.

"Thank you" she said blushing before taking his arm.

They walked for a little while, drinking in the beauty of the garden. Every once in a while they would stop to talk to someone but Aghony seemed preoccupied the whole time. Ruby looked him over, seeing the worry in his eyes though his smile was doing a bad job at hiding it.

"What's up?" she said looking at him as they sat down on a garden bench a little ways away from the crowd.

"I'm okay" Aghony said smiling at her.

"You are not okay" Ruby said shaking her head "Why don't you just tell me what is going on?"

Aghony stared at the beautiful lights for a moment, thinking about what he needed to tell her, and how to put it..

"Ruby" he said taking her hand "How long are you going to stay with me?"

Ruby looked at him with deep eyes "Forever" she said quietly.

"Are you sure that is what you want?" he said looking at her still, his heart beating hard.

"I made my choice a long time ago" she said looking at him.

Aghony just stared at her and slowly a smile creeped on to his face. Soft music from a piano started playing and quickly Aghony took Ruby's hand in his and led her to where others were beginning to dance. Ruby watched him closely, their bodies swaying to the music, so tied up in each other, it almost felt as if they were alone.

It was almost too much for Ruby, the lights, the music, this handsome god dancing with her...it was like a movie that you knew something bad was going to happen the minute they stopped.

Aghony caught Ruby's far off look and slowly turned her head towards his.

"Hey" he said softly "Don't go there."

"Go where?" she said confused.

"Don't go where I can't follow" he said looking deep into her eyes "Stay with me."

"But I'm right here" she said shaking her head.

"No" Aghony said pulling her closer so that her head rested on his chest "Stay with me, right here. Don't let go, don't go anywhere else. When you think about dark things you start thinking about this moment right now. You are here, you are safe, I won't let anything happen to you."

Ruby was quiet, her hand grabbing onto his jacket, almost as if she would wake up from this dream and lose him forever.

"Aghony" she said quietly.

"Yes?" he said looking down at her.

"I..." she said but the words caught in her mouth. Her heart was racing, wanting to say the words she thought she should say...but what if he didn't say them back? Suddenly the world seemed to be spinning around her and she wobbled a bit in her nice flats. Aghony caught her fast, holding her up before anyone saw her nearly faint and moved her away from the crowd to the edge of the garden.

"I think" she said quietly moving out of his grasp "I think I should get to bed..."

"Alright" Aghony said watching her turn from him.

"Thank you for such a lovely night" she said quietly before leaving him.

Aghony stood as she walked away from him, worried he had said something wrong. He cursed slightly and began walking through the garden hedges, trying to find a way to make things better. Had he come on too strong with her? Maybe he should slow things down?

"Gahh" he scoffed moving around like a addict needing his fix. This was why he didn't do relationships. He had no clue what he was doing. Sure give him a computer to hack, or have him find someone in the biggest city with the largest population, but have him figure out a female? Not a chance.

Suddenly Aghony heard the kings voice start reciting the words of the ceremony, with a big cheer following afterward. So the festival was over...

Soon everyone would go back to their rooms, undress, go to bed or make love, but him? He was out here in the garden still, pining over a girl who he had no clue whether she felt the same or not about him.

She had said she would stay with him forever...was that some clue that she loved him back?

"Wait" Aghony said to himself, knowing nobody was around since the lights had been turned off just minutes ago while the doggen cleaned up "Am I in love with her?

Aghony thought about Ruby, he _really _ thought about her. She was everything he had ever wanted in a female, or even dreamed of having. She was smart, and funny, and kind even though she had every reason in the world to hate everything. She supported him and drove him crazy every time she walked into the room...

Aghony had finally moved into the main gardens and looked up at the mansion, the stars glowing bright over the roof. Suddenly Ruby appeared on the balcony from his room, her head looking up at the stars like a modern day Juliet.

Suddenly he felt a swelling in his heart as he looked at her looking at the stars. Smiling to himself, he finally understood what he felt for Ruby.

Ruby stood looking up at the stars, the garden dark below her as she thought about what Aghony had said to her. He had asked how long she was going to stay with him...and she had said forever.

"_Forever"_ she thought to herself "_Where did that come from? Are you some love struck teenager all over again?_"

But she had told the truth, she would have stayed with him forever if time allowed it. He was her everything now, and everything they did together just seemed...right.

"_But why is he my everything?_" she thought "_I made a promise a long time ago that I wouldn't put myself in a situation where I would get hurt again, and now look at me! I'm in a house full of vampires, and one just keeps making it harder and harder not to fall in love with hi-_"

Suddenly a rustling below her startled her and a hand shot out from the wall onto the railing of the balcony. Ruby jumped back in surprise when suddenly Aghony's head popped up and lifted himself over the railing onto the balcony.

"What are you doing?!" Ruby said exasperated, her smile giving away her amusement.

"Coming to see you" he said smiling and pointing to the wall.

"The stairs weren't good enough tonight?" Ruby said with a smile.

"Not this time" Aghony said getting serious.

"And why not?" Ruby said, her smile also fading.

"Because there is something I need to tell you" he said coming closer to her.

"And what's that?" she said softly.

"Ruby" he said inches from her, taking her face in his hands "I need to tell you..."

"Yes?" she said, almost afraid of what he was going to tell her.

"I love you" he said softly, his eyes dark with love and want at the same time. Slowly he bent and kissed her, and she took the kiss with everything it promised. It was a true kiss, a real kiss, a kiss you could never describe but knew everything it was saying all at once.

And then in a moment, it was gone.

Ruby stood there shocked, not believing he had actually said what her heart was so scared he would never say. Aghony loved her and she...

"Well?" he said looking her up and down.

"I..." she said looking at him, her heart seizing every second her mouth didn't move.

"Ruby?" he said as his eyes filled with hurt. It was almost too much for her to watch.

"I need some air" she said quickly and darted out of the room, her blood pulsing with panic as she ran down the hallway and down the stairs.

"_What are you doing?_" a part of her was screaming at her "_You are running from happiness do you understand that?!_"

"I know!" she yelled back "But it's just too much!"

She scrambled through doors and found herself finally in a garage with various cars parked. She stole some keys that were hanging from the wall and hit one of the buttons till a nice sports car flashed it's lights at her.

"_You are making a huge mistake!_" the voice screamed at her "_Go back up there and tell him how you feel!"_

"I can't!" shesaid to herself.

"_And why not?"_ the voice said back.

"I'm scared..." she quietly said before starting the car and racing out of the mansion like a bat out of hell.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Ruby raced the sports car down the highway, her mind probably going as fast as the car. What the hell was she doing? She had practically ran out of the mansion. And for what? Because the guy she truly felt cared about her had told her that he loved her? She should have ran into his arms, kissed him back and told him how she felt!

But no, instead she was running, just like she had done with every good thing in her life. She had the opportunity when she was young to be with a good family, but what did she do instead? She ran away from the foster home and ended up in the streets. She had the chance to go to a good school, go to college, but instead she had thrown it away over some stupid guy! And all for what!

"Because" she whispered to herself as she entered the city "I'm not good enough for all of that."

Ruby drove through the city, going through streets and intersections, crossing paths with places she knew and then entering into places she didn't. It wasn't long before she became tired and pulled over at the side of a curb she knew way too well.

Ruby looked at the curbside that cornered a large brick building. She had been thrown right at the cement ground, her body paralyzed with Hypnus and her chest broken from the betrayal she was feeling. How long had she been laying there? How long before she got up the courage to walk down the street? Barefoot and barely breathing?

And then, in that final moment as she was sitting next to the garbage can next to Sal's, she had done the unthinkable. She had slashed her wrists with a razor she had on her, had slit her pale skin and watched as the blood flowed everywhere. And for a while...it was peaceful, knowing everything would end. She had drifted off into sleep, consumed by the darkness for what she thought was the final time.

And she had been ready for it. That was the scary part, she had been ready to die. No second guesses or thoughts about trying to fix things. She was certain that death was better than any situation she could be put it. Because once again, she felt she wasn't worth it...

Ruby realized her hands were clamped white on the steering wheel, a cold sweat breaking out on the nape of her neck. She breathed deeply, overcome with so many emotions.

Maybe it was time...maybe it was time to let go of everything. She had to forget about the bad shit with Jay...he was no longer a part of her life and well...Aghony was. And she was hurting him because of the wall she had put up around herself.

Her memories of almost killing herself would remain with her, because that isn't something that you just forget. But she could let go of this, her memories of Jay and the past that brought her to that assholes doorstep. She could let it go because she needed to turn her head around and see what was in front of her, not behind.

Ruby got out of the car and walked slowly over to the curbside, her hands shaking all over the place and her eyes wide with fear. She hadn't been back to this place since it happened. And now it was going to end, once and for all.

She stood on the curb and looked down, the cracks and corners of the sidewalk etched into her mind since she had stared at them for what seemed like days.

And then...she felt a lifting in her heart. A small smile spread across her face as she felt like a stone had been lifted off of her chest, and she was clean like being baptized in the river. Thunder rolled overhead and Ruby looked up smiling at the dark clouds that were promising rain.

Spring...a time for new beginnings.

Ruby would go back to the mansion, she would tell Aghony that she did love him.

A huge smile was now plastered on her face.

She loved Aghony...She loved him!

Ruby suddenly felt like jumping and shouting and spinning around in the rain that now poured around her heavily. She was in love, crazy as it sounded, she was in love with a freaking vampire!

As Ruby turned to rush back to the car and high tail it back to the mansion, a sudden dread came over her. But Ruby had promised herself in that moment she was going to ignore those feelings, because they only brought bad things with them.

It was too bad that in this particular moment, that dreaded feeling was right as Ruby felt the bang against her skull, and darkness flooding her vision.

* * *

"Shit..." Aghony said watching as the rain started pouring down outside. He had stripped off the nice jacket and had changed into more comfortable leathers and T-shirt. He had been standing at the balcony windows, thinking about what he had said to Ruby, when the rain suddenly started coming down.

She was out there, in that rain. As soon as Ruby hadn't come back into the room after a few minutes Aghony had gone around the mansion looking for her. But the security camera's showed her leaving in Tohr's car, and the GPS showed him exactly where she was going. He had decided to give her some time, as much as it hurt him. He had moved too fast, too fast for her, and maybe a little too fast for him as well.

But damn, he couldn't hide how he felt anymore. He loved her, she was his and would always be. He was bonded to her like their bodies were one, and he knew she felt it too, although it was harder for her to just except it. She was his match in every way, and that scared her.

Thunder and lighting clapped as the sky lit up and Aghony turned to his laptop to check where she was on the GPS. It was a downtown area, and she had been sitting there for over an hour...

"Shit" he whispered again.

What if she relapsed? What if for some reason she just couldn't handle things anymore and she went to get her fix? The big Moor said she had been clean for months now, but under so much stress, it made Aghony wonder.

"You want me to go check on her?" a voice said from behind Aghony.

"I don't know" Aggie said turning to Lassiter "I think I need to give her some space."

"You know she's just scared right?" Lassiter said, his arms crossed as he stood looking at the young male.

"I know" Aghony said shaking his head "I moved too fast."

"No you didn't" Lassiter said coming closer to him "She needs this. She needs someone to tell her that they love her. You don't see how much she struggles with it when you are not looking. Remember dude, I see inside of people, I know what they are thinking" he said waving his hand over his eyes "I see her pain just as much as you do."

"Why do you care about her so much Lassiter?" Aghony said looking at the angel up and down "Everyone has been wondering why you are like her second hip now."

"I see a goodness inside of her that she may never see" Lassiter said getting serious "A light, so bright it almost compares to my Maker. I don't want to see that go away. Even the most brightest light can get diminished with too much darkness."

"So you like her because she has a light?" Aghony said trying to figure out what Lassiter was trying to say.

"That" Lassiter said smiling "And because I do like being mother-henned every now and then. Makes me feel like I'm wanted."

Aghony shook his head and stared back at the GPS.

"Let me just go check on her" Lassiter said "It will only take a minute."

"Alright" Aghony said quietly.

In a flash Lassiter disappeared and reappeared at the curbside where the nice sports car was parked. Lassiter looked around, his glowing eyes surveying the area, but he didn't pick up on Ruby anywhere.

Panic, a feeling Lassiter was not too familiar with, crept into his body as he walked steadily over to the sports car. Everything looked in order, the door was locked and everything seemed generally quiet on the street.

That's when he saw the tiny drops of blood, almost mirrored in the slickness of the street from the heavy rain. Blood that smelt like vanilla rum and red velvet...and it trailed off to the curbside, and then it just stopped. No warning or anything, just a pool of blood...

"Oh shit" Lassiter said "Ruby..."


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Ruby woke up, or more, she was jostled awake by something pulling at her hands and feet and then a loud slam. Her mind suddenly went on full alert as her eyes popped open and realized she was dangling in the air in a dark room.

"Oh fuck..."Ruby whispered to herself. Quickly she surveyed her surroundings. The room looked almost abandoned, the creaky rotten wood below her and the stench of mildew covering the air. Ruby looked up and realized her hands were tied tight with rope and she was hanging from a large hook that dangled from the rafters. She tried kicked her feet out, but they had also been tied to the ground, a large looking anchor keeping her legs locked in place, spread for the world to see.

At least she still had the white dress on, that was the main thing. A small comfort in this horrible moment. She tried to recollect what had happened, but her mind was fuzzy. She remembered feeling horrible pain, and hitting the ground hard. And then just darkness.

Suddenly the smell drifted around her and she realized she was in more trouble than she thought.

Baby powder. Mixed in with the mildew was that unnatural stench, like rotten eggs and baby powder...

"Great" she whispered to herself when suddenly the door busted open, a little light pouring through to reveal figures standing in the doorway.

"Thought you were so fucking smooth didn't you?" she heard that horrible familiar voice say as it came out of the light and into her sight. Jay stood there, looking as if nothing had happened to him, even though she was sure he had burnt in that fire...

"Like it" he said gesturing to his face "It's new."

"You son of a-" she began but quickly he grabbed her face tight in his hands.

"Ah-ah" he said like he was scolding a child "You don't speak. You are only allowed to scream."

Ruby had given up looking like a bad ass. She was scared. More scared than she had ever been in her life.

"Now" he said groping her body as she held back tears "Let's get you out of those clothes."

Suddenly his hands ripped down her body, shredding the beautiful lace dress, her hanging there in only her underwear for everyone to see.

She thought about begging him, but held her tongue. He would never get the best of her again, and she would die before she shed tears for him, no matter what he did to her.

"Scared?" he said caressing her body.

Ruby just gave him a hard look and turned her eyes towards the ceiling.

"You will be soon" Jay said turning from her and flicking on a single light bulb that swung in the room. The wood and walls were just like how Ruby had smelt them. Old, decrepit, and looking as if someone hadn't been in there in years, Ruby knew she might die in this room if Jay had his way.

Ruby watched as he walked over to a metal stand that held various instruments that reminded her of a medieval doctor.

"Now I won't tell you that this isn't going to hurt" he said getting things together "But my master enjoys seeing people toyed with before he takes them" slowly he turned with a iron that she knew was hot from the smoke coming off of the metal "And believe me baby, he's going to take you."

Ruby watched as Jay came over with the iron, the metal inches from her stomach as he looked into her eyes.

She closed her eyes to him, and thought about dancing with Aghony. The way his hands had touched her face so gently, the look in his eyes...

"Now scream" Jay said.

And Ruby did.

* * *

Aghony looked around the area where the sports car was parked, glad the heavy rain had stopped so he could get a good look at everything.

"You smell anything?" he asked Faolan who was knelt over on the street, huffing at the ground like a paint addict. Zsadist was down the street further, looking around the alleyways for any clues, while his father checked over the car for any signs of struggle.

"I only smell Ruby" Faolan said rubbing his nose "But there is a weird smell, like mildew almost."

"Mildew? Are you sure?" Aghony asked, his voice serious as his mind started to race with ideas.

"Yep" Faolan said sniffing again "Wood mildew, like an old house or building."

"That means whoever took her isn't in very good living conditions. Areas began popping up in his mind, tracking which ones would be condemned.

"What do you think happened?" Phury said coming over to his son. When he had heard about the news of Ruby he immediately volunteered to check it out.

"The blood splatter indicates that whoever hit her came from behind her, but because of the rain she must have not heard them approaching. That means they were carrying a weapon, something normal like a tire iron or a hammer, something small enough that nobody would notice them carrying it. Which means they knew who they were after and where she would be."

"Lessers?" Faolan said, his eyes getting wide.

"They came for her before and must have been waiting for her to enter the city again. How they knew where she was I can't figure out but I'm sure when we find her I will" Aghony said still staring at the pool of blood.

"So she's alive?" Phury said watching his son carefully.

"She is, there is a lot of blood, but not enough to suggest there was major head trauma. He probably hit her right where she had been hit before when she was attacked, opening up the wound once more. There isn't any signs that she was dragged so there must have been more than one. And they put her into a van because they couldn't conceal her in anything else."

"So how do we find the van?" Faolan asked as Zsadist joined them.

Aghony looked around the buildings and saw a local convenience store that had a security camera pointed right at them.

"By that" he said.

And when they did find her, Aghony thought as they walked over to the store, they would pay.

* * *

Ruby woke up, her body bruised and battered as a swift slap came across her face like lighting. She looked at Jay, bright eyed and bushy tailed as he gave her a wicked grin.

"Rise and shine baby" he said getting out a rod from his metal stand. Ruby hated the rod most of all. She had been burnt and whipped and beat, but the rod hurt the most because Jay hit her multiple times in a row, no dulling of her skin from the pain, just a constant slap on her skin that felt like a swarm of bees attacking her.

"Jay" she said as he turned to her "Why don't you just kill me and quit dicking around."

He just laughed and put the rod down back on the stand "Because" he said pulling her head back by her hair "My master needs your body."

"For what?" she said gritting her teeth as he pulled harder.

"If I told you" he said letting go "It would spoil the surprise. Now, enough talk, we are going to move you soon and I need you to be very still."

"Like hell" Ruby said spitting at him.

"I thought you might say that" he said getting another evil grin on his face. He knocked on the door twice and another metal stand was brought in, only this time, the only thing on it was a syringe and a bottle of Hypnus.

"Jay" she said starting to shake "Don't."

"It wouldn't be any fun now, if I didn't get one last go at you" he said filling up the syringe "Even if I can't get it up, I can still get the satisfaction of seeing you fucked up."

Ruby squirmed in the air as he came forward, desperate to get out.

"Now now" he said patting her butt and then gripping her thigh"This won't hurt a bit."

Ruby screamed as the injection hit her skin and the dreaded dulling of her senses flooded her mind as her body went limp in the air.

"That's my girl" he said as others came in to untie her.

Ruby watched as they let her down, wishing she could feel the relaxation of her muscles from being dangled in the air for so long. They dragged her out of the room, her eyes only seeing a few flashing lights overheard as she moved down a hallway that was definitely something out of a horror movie. She heard the creak of metal and she moved once more.

Soon the group of lessers lifted her up on something metal, her skin feeling the coldness hit her body like ice as they strapped her legs, arms, and body down on the table.

This was the horrible part of being drugged up. She could feel, hear, and see everything, but her body refused her even a little bit of movement. She was just a living and breathing rag doll.

The group of lessers left, leaving just her and Jay in the room. His hands moved over her body, and tears suddenly betrayed her as she lay motionless on the table.

"There are those tears I have been waiting for" he said touching the drops of water and tasting them in his mouth.

Suddenly the door opened, and it felt like winter had blew in from the north it got so cold. Ruby felt her skin prickling and tried to turn her eyes to see what had come through the door, but even they were dead.

"Master" Jay said quietly.

Ruby didn't hear footsteps, but she knew someone was close to her.

"The host" a dark voice said that sent chills up her spine.

"All primed and ready for you" Jay said motioning over Ruby.

"Let me look at her eyes" the voice said coming closer.

Ruby suddenly saw a figure draped in a white robe, the hood up so that she couldn't see the figures face.

"The fire in her soul is made for one of my kind" the figure said holding a clothed hand over her chest "She will be a fine body to dwell in."

"Master" Jay said piping in. Ruby could feel the displeasure radiating off of the figure as it looked towards Jay.

"May I ask, why her?" he said holding his hand out towards her "She's a nobody, believe me. I've seen every part of her and nothing really sticks out. The Omega shouldn't be wasting his time with a girl like this."

"This is where you are wrong" the Omega said placing a dark hand on her chest once more. Ruby suddenly saw the dark face, it's eyes radiating pure evil as it looked down at her with so much want "She is more than meets the eye."

The Omega suddenly sunk his hand deep into her skin, the cloth becoming empty as his arm entered into her body. Ruby felt like she was being poisoned, she could barely breathe and her skin was boiling the more he dove deeper inside of her. She felt such pressure in her body, like it was really filling up to the brim. The Omega sunk deeper and deeper inside of her, his body almost entirely in hers.

Then in a flash, the Omega was flying out of her, the darkness trying to collect itself as a bright light surrounded the room. Ruby felt drained as she tried to see what was happening, but only now heard voices.

"Sister" the Omega hissed.

"You are not playing fair brother" a calm female voice said from somewhere "The host must choose for herself. You cannot force her to take you."

"And these are your rules?" the Omega said back, his voice dripping with hatred.

"No" the female voice said seriously "Our Father's."

"Very well" she heard the Omega say "I'll just keep her here until she makes up her mind."

"Whatever you wish brother" the female voice said. And then the light was gone and Ruby heard only silence.

"Be rid of her until I come again" the Omega said "Lock her away. Let no light enter her sight until I return."

"Yes master" Jay said bowing.

And then, the Omega was gone.

"Well that was something" Jay said smiling wickedly at her "Guess I get to have you for a little longer."

Ruby felt herself being unstrapped, her body still unable to move as Jay picked her up like she was nothing and started dragging her out of the room. Ruby would scream if she could as she saw the room they were now putting her in. The door was complete steel, the room dark as night. She knew this was the end.

Jay threw her body into the small dark room, her body lifeless as her eyes only just stared at the doorway.

"Until next time" she heard him say before the door closed, and Ruby was trapped in the dark.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

"There it is" Faolan said in a hushed voice as they stared at the abandoned building that seemed bustling with life at this time of night. Aghony watched, his hair soaked to his face from the rain that had down poured on them earlier after they finished looking at the security tapes. It had taken Aghony less than ten seconds to break into the store. He had reviewed the recordings of that night and saw a lesser hit Ruby over the head in the street and drag her off to a nearby van.

Aghony rubbed his eyes and checked his gun once more, thinking about the way Ruby had looked in that video. She had stared at the corner of the street, her eyes blazing down at the curb, and you could just tell she was struggling with something. And then...for a moment...she seemed happy...

"What do you smell?" Quinn said behind Faolan, his eyes looking ready to dish out some hell.

"She's at the top floor I can tell you that" Faolan said, his eyes narrowing "But I can barely smell her there are so many of them."

"She's alive" Aghony said, his voice dark "That's all that matters."

"Barely" Xhex said her head shaking "We better move quick."

"Then let's do it." Zsadist said to his nephew "At your word Aggie." Aghony looked back to the Brothers that had been able to come. Faolan, his right hand man stood by his side as Qhuinn, Xhex, John and Zsadist stood ready for battle. Lowell hung behind in a car just in case back-up was needed along with Blaylock who was ready on the phone with Butch for clean up.

"Thank you" Aghony said looking at each and every one of them. They all nodded in return, knowing what it was like to lose your mate at one point.

"Don't forget about me" Lassiter said from behind all of them. Aghony watched as the angel came ahead of the group and looked straight at Aghony.

"You are going to need me if she's hurt" he said wiggling his fingers.

"Got it" Aghony said "Let's move."

* * *

Ruby stood up slowly, her arms shaking from the loss of control for so long, but at least she could move. Hot tears sprang from her eyes instantly, like they had been holding back all this time. She hadn't slept, her eyelids refused to close all night and all day, so she was running on empty. She stood up, wobbling just a bit before catching herself against the wall of the tiny room.

Her eyes darted around, trying to find some source of light, trying to find a way out.

God she missed Aghony...

More tears started to spring up. If she lived through this...if that _thing_ didn't take her...she would tell Aghony what she felt as soon as she saw him.

"If I see him" she whispered to herself.

Images of that robed figure plagued her mind. When he entered her she felt...whole. Like she was a glass that was filling up with water. It had felt strange and familiar and...good.

She shivered, not wanting to feel that way about such an evil creature. She had to get out before it tried to take her again..

Slowly she moved around the room, her hands feeling around the darkness as she tried to be as quiet as possible. The door was metal, she could feel that much, and sounds of people moving around suggested they were right outside the door. Her hands moved to the opposite and trailed upward. She felt something odd, like paper taped against something, and quickly her fingers teared at whatever it was.

Slivers of light started to pour in as Ruby tore open a small window that had been taped up. A small street light provided just enough light for Ruby to see outside in the rain. She was high up at what looked like a apartment building. Another roof was just below her, it's shingles looked broken and wasted, but still reachable.

She tested the durability of the window and felt it creak beneath her.

If she could get out, she could get help.

"Please" she prayed to whatever as she looked back to the door.

And then, Ruby opened the window just as she heard shouting below.

* * *

Aghony's team ran up to the building, weapons drawn, ready for anything. He motioned to Faolan and quickly kicked down the door.

Instantly, his trigger finger shot three lessers, knocking them to the ground flat as Faolan and the others moved in.

"Upstairs! Upstairs!" Xhex shouted as her and Faolan started ripping apart lessers one by one.

Quickly Aghony ran up the broken staircase, his feet avoiding the holes and cracks in the rotten wood. Gun shots were firing all around him and the tell tale roar of Zsadist was heard as he flung lessers left and right around the area.

More of the pale creatures were coming down the stairs but Aghony was ready. His blood was pumping fire as he dished out heel kicks and right hooks all around the place, his daggers slicing and dicing at the right moment, his clothes getting soaked in the oily blood of lessers. But none of that was on his mind, he had one mission and one mission only. Save Ruby.

He had made it to the last staircase, a pile of bodies behind him as he faced off with more lessers waiting for him at the top. His arms swung, the daggers making contact as oily blood splattered everywhere and bodies fell around him.

He saw the door, smelling her scent that faded by the seconds. Aghony walked, his eyes focused on one thing as he took two lessers out without even blinking. Walking steadily, the violence and screams dulling around him, his hand swiftly swung, the black dagger slicing the chains that held the door shut into pieces.

His hands were almost trembling, his mind preparing him for the worst sight he could imagine. Hoping and praying he wasn't too late.

As the door swung open, it felt like centuries passed as he stood there, the door swinging open slowly to reveal only a dark room with a small window open to the night air.

Aghony felt the air getting sucked out of his lungs, her scent disappearing with the open door.

"Ruby" he whispered.

* * *

Ruby had jumped out the window, her body landing hard on the lower roof of the next building. Adrenaline kicked in and she was up and running, her body nearly swinging off the fire escape as she trailed down, her body bare except for the dirty underwear that covered her butt. A lone window was open and she instantly went in, quiet as the sleeping occupants were snoozing on the couch. She saw a jacket hanging on a coat rack and swiped it up, covering her battered body so she didn't get arrested on the spot when she made it outside.

Quietly she exited, hoping her intrusion would go unnoticed. She walked steadily down the hallway and down the stairs of the building till she made it out into the fresh air.

"Wow" she whispered looking around. She was in a really bad part of town. She looked up and down the street for a payphone and realized she didn't have any chance even if she found one.

"Shit" she whispered and heard loud gun fire coming from the building next door. She started running, not caring which direction she went just as long as she was far away from that horrible place.

Her bare feet carried her street by street until she was at the entrance to a park she knew. Slowly she walked, her body shaking from the lack of food and sleep as she planned to phone from a convenience store that was just across the park.

God she hoped Aghony would forgive her, and that Jay would finally get what was coming to him. But right now, all she wanted was just to see Aghony..

Just once...

* * *

"Where the hell is she?" Xhex said looking around as her hands felt the walls for any sign of an invisible barrier that she had been put inside in a similar situation.

"She's not in here" Aghony said shaking his head. Faolan sniffed around and confirmed that it was true.

"Where would they have taken her?" Qhuinn asked as he looked around. Butch was in the background with Vishous, cleaning up lessers left and right.

Aghony just shook his head and walked quickly out of the room. John tried to stop him but the young male pushed past and stormed outside into the night air.

"Where are you?" he asked the night sky, hoping it would give him a sign. Suddenly a shooting star flashed above him, and he felt a chill roll through his spine.

"Okay" he said quietly. He started jogging in the direction the star had shot towards, his feet pounding down streets, eyes looking above as he watched stars start shooting all around the sky the more he moved towards where they were going.

His eyes looked down for only a moment, realizing he was at the edge of a park. Quickly he entered it, knowing he was close, feeling the pulse in his chest grow the more and more his feet moved.

Ruby had been looking up at the sky on a small bridge that went over a creek, her eyes watching in wonder as stars shot all around above her, despite the city lights wanting to drown them out.

She smiled, holding the jacket tighter to her, thinking that if only she could spend this moment with Aghony...

And then, like magic, he was there, standing at the foot of the bridge, his eyes cast wide looking up at her as his chest heaved up and down.

"Aghony" she whispered, thinking she was hallucinating.

He smiled up at her, and ran forward.

Ruby collapsed into his arms, her own wrapping tightly around his neck as he nearly lifted her off the ground. His arms squeezed tight around her, as if she would disappear the moment he let go. She moved her head so it was right against his, her eyes meeting his with a smile.

"Found you" she whispered.

"And I found you" he said, his eyes full of nothing but love.

And then, Ruby kissed him, her mouth doing all the talking for them, telling him how much she missed him, how much she wanted him. His arms gripped her even tighter, taking her all in, her past, her future, her heart.

And when they broke, her eyes still closed to his she whispered "I love you."

And when she opened them, he smiled at her.

Aghony kissed her once more, their lips doing nothing but saying words of love without ever speaking them.

And there they stood under the stars, an immovable object and an unstoppable force .

Together at last.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

"And that's really it" Ruby said sighing, Aghony holding her as she was being checked by Doc Jane with the king and the Brotherhood looking at her scarred body. She had told them everything that had happened. The kidnapping, the torture, the Omega and the interference by the Scribe Virgin, and her escape.

"If I had just hung around for a few more minutes you guys would have found me" she said shaking her head at how stupid she had been.

"No" Zsadist said "Don't blame yourself."

"You were in survival mode" Rhage said, his eyes staring at the burn marks all across her legs "Anyone would have done the same thing."

"So this is what I'm getting out of all of this" Aghony said, trying to hold back his emotions as he saw just how much damage had been inflicted on Ruby "The Omega wants Ruby for something big. You said he entered you?"

"Yea" Ruby said, her eyes looking away for a second "It felt like he was melting inside of me."

"And the Scribe Virgin stopped him" Aghony said again "But why didn't she save you?"

"She said I had to make a choice" Ruby said shaking her head, not understanding it either "I just don't know what that choice was supposed to be. The Omega said that he would make me choose him."

"A host.."Vishous repeated, hearing Ruby's story carefully.

"The Omega is looking for a new body" Aghony said, finally figuring it out "And he's picked Ruby..."

"Well that settles it then" Mayhem said addressing the Brotherhood "She stays here. No question about it. We keep the thing that he wants most close to us, so that he never gets it, true?"

"True" the others agreed.

"Let's wrap things up in the office" Mayhem said, wanting to give Ruby some privacy "We'll all discuss what the next step is."

Ruby watched as the others left, leaving her alone with Aghony and Doc Jane.

"How's it looking doc?" Ruby said watching the woman float around her, examining different parts of her just to be sure.

"Your body has gone through a lot" Jane said checking her pulse "I suggest you take a break. Bed rest only. Understood? No more running out of the mansion and getting yourself in trouble."

"Understood" Ruby said smiling. Yea, she wouldn't be leaving this place anytime soon. Outside was too dangerous right now.

"I have to ask, and this may be uncomfortable with him in the room" Doc Jane said "But did they attempt anything sexual with you?"

Ruby felt her face flush and Aghony went from edgy to raging out instantly. He would tear their corpses apart if they...

"No" Ruby said shaking her head "They just hit me a lot."

"Are you sure?" Doc Jane said, giving her a steady look.

"Yes" Ruby said nodding her head.

"Alright" Doc Jane said getting out some pain killers "Well these should tie you over for a bit.."

"No pills" Ruby said startled "And please, no injections. Not after what happened. I can handle the pain, I promise."

Jane looked at the girl for a minute and just nodded her head "Alright, but when you are ready you come see me?"

"I will" Ruby said nodding her head.

Ruby hopped off the examination table as Aghony wrapped a comfy robe around her before they exited the OR. They walked, arms wrapped around each other, till they came to his room.

"You want to go ahead and sleep?" Aghony said, watching her walk into the room and stare at the balcony window.

"Yea" Ruby said quietly.

"Alright" Aghony said going over to the bed and tearing down the covers.

Ruby thought about the last time she was in this room, how she had made Aghony feel and how she had felt and...

"Aggie?" Ruby said looking back to him.

"Yea?" he said looking up at her.

"I'm sorry for running off" she said, biting her lip "I was just scared...I never really had anyone tell me they loved me, not for a long time..."

"Come here" Aghony said opening his arms. Ruby went right into them, his scent filling her lungs as she clung tight to him.

"It's okay" he said kissing her head "I understand. Just don't run off again."

"I won't" she said into his chest "I love you."

"And I love you" he said into her hair.

"Let's get you to bed" he said undressing her and throwing his own T-shirt over her naked body.

Ruby crawled into the luxurious bed while Aghony went for the door and suddenly felt panic roll through her body.

"Aghony" she said quickly.

He turned instantly, a worried look crossing his face.

"Sleep with me?" she said quietly "I don't want to be alone."

Aghony smiled and undressed into his boxer briefs and climbed into bed with Ruby. It was the first time they had really slept together. His arms wrapped over her body, spooning her comfortably as his warmness heated her up instantly. Ruby cuddled closer to him, wanting to be covered by him, knowing that she was safe as long as he was near her.

And for the first time, Ruby felt sleep take her in the most wonderful way.

* * *

Vishous stood, hearing the others in the king's office talk while he thought about what Ruby had said. What was his mother planning, if anything? Payne shot him a look from across the room and he simply nodded at her. She looked back to what the king was saying and knew what he brother had meant. They needed to talk to her.

"Question" Qhuinn said raising his hand "What happens when the Omega goes looking for Ruby? Are we going to just keep her here forever?"

"Right now we need to find out _why_ the Omega wants her. He doesn't just pick some joe-schmo to try and be his body. Ruby is special in some way and our safest bet is to just keep her here."

"But what if lessers come to the mansion?" Phury piped up "What happens then? It's not like our mansion is impenetrable, no matter what revisions we have made they will find a way in."

"And then we will be ready for it" Rhage said looking over at his Brother.

"Is it worth it though?" Phury said "Is this girl worth almost losing our families over?"

"To someone she is" Wrath said looking over at Phury "And you should know that it's pretty damn hard to separate a male from his female once they are bonded. And from the looks of it your son would rather die than let that girl go."

The males all got quiet for minute, knowing that if their own female was taken, they would tread hell and high water just to get her back.

"The girl stays Phury" Mayhem said standing up "At least for now, just until we figure out what the hell is going on in the world right now. Luna even felt it in the air last night. Something big is coming, and we all need to be prepared for it. Especially Ruby."

Phury nodded, but his thoughts were thinking about Aghony. If this girl got hurt, or if she did get taken, it would mean the end of his son. And the end for all of them.


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

"SON OF A BITCH!" Jay screamed as he threw a piece of wood across the room. What was left of his team stood by, just as pissed and annoyed as he was.

"How could she get away!?" Jay screamed "How the hell did those assholes find us!?"

"They knew where she was too" one of the survivors said "One of the males went straight upstairs for her."

"This is a fucking mess" Jay said rubbing his face "How am I going to explain this to the Omega?"

All eyes suddenly got wide, and very, very scared.

"Shit" Jay hissed and turned around to see the white robed figure staring around him in distaste.

"You have failed me for the last time Jay" the Omega said darkly.

"It's not how it seems master" Jay said, sweat automatically dripping from his face "The Brotherhood, they knew and she just..."

"The host wouldn't take me anyway" the Omega said shaking his head "You had her too scared Jay, your pleasures made her uneasy to take me. That is why my sister was able to interfere. No matter, another body has come to my attention, short lived as it would be."

"Oh yea?" Jay said feeling slightly relieved "Who is it?"

"You" the Omega said, his head turning. Suddenly the Omega's arm whipped out from beneath the white robe and like a tentacle, snapped around Jay's face, driving him down towards the floor. Jay felt the life getting sucked out of him and being replaced by the darkness that had been living in his body.

"With you" the Omega said as he poured himself into Jay, his body being filled with the darkness like a balloon "I'll be able to find the Host. And I will end her, for if I cannot have her..." Suddenly the white robe dropped, and Jay stood, his eyes dark as he looked towards the others.

"No one shall" he said, only this time, it was not Jay's voice.

It was the Omega's.


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Ruby woke up, her body aching and hurting, but somehow she felt good. She was warm, and comfortable, and happy, for the first time in months. Slowly she rolled over, the light in the room soft as the rain fell outside, giving the air a blue glow. She turned and smiled, seeing her man snoozing soundly beside her, his technicolor hair drifting in front of his face.

Ruby moved her hand slowly, reaching out to move the hair so she could watch his face. It had been so wonderful being with him, like the sun rising over the horizon every time he walked into the room. She felt cared for, loved, and it all was strange and new and wonderful all at the same time.

Her hand brushed his face, feeling that softness of his cheek hit her skin that was bruised.

She was just a complete mess, she was bruised, torn, battered and abused. She was a whole lot of problems mixed in a giant bowl of emotions. She ran away from happiness and killed kindness with harsh words. And even after all her stubbornness, he still loved her.

Ruby smiled, knowing she loved him back.

Suddenly Aghony's eyes opened, and that brilliant smile she had fallen in love with crossed his face. His arms automatically pulled her closer, her face buried into his firm chest.

"Morning" he said into her.

"I think it's afternoon" she said smiling.

"Same thing" he muttered.

Ruby looked up at his face, a dopey grin spread across his lips as his eyes closed to her.

God she loved him.

Ruby quickly went up and planted her lips on his, her body pressing against him hard.

"Whoa" he said breaking the kiss "I thought the doctor told you to take it easy."

"Nothing's easy with me" she said laughing. Aghony rolled on top of her softly, letting his body ease into her. "I've noticed" he said looking into her eyes.

Ruby watched as he really looked at her, his eyes trailing over her and looking back into her eyes intently. She felt a shiver of want cross her body, and automatically her legs wrapped around him. Aghony bent and kissed her, his hands moving into her hair, feeling the softness tangle in his fingers. He moved up, pressing himself against her, letting her know he wanted her no matter what state she was in.

Ruby broke the kiss and took off his T-shirt, letting it fall beside the bed as he also removed his boxers. Ruby wrapped her arms around his next, trailing kisses down his chest as he held her close to him. He took her face in his hands and kissed her gently before laying her back down on the bed, his hands working over time as the touched and caressed her softly. She loved this part about Aghony, he could be wild one minute and then the gentlest lover the next. And right now, it felt wonderful the way he was handling her.

She moved her legs, wrapping them around him so he slid into her perfectly. Aghony let out a growl as he moved inside of her, slowly rocking her body against his. Ruby held on a bit tighter, letting the passion take hold of her, no longer wanting soft and slow. Aghony responded to her body instantly and moved faster against her. She gasped as he grabbed her from behind and rocked harder into her, her nails digging into his back as he covered her in his scent.

She felt the tipping point coming and Aghony felt his fangs grow the more he went into her. Ruby saw this and for the first time the thought occurred that he needed blood.

"Bite me" Ruby whispered into his ear. Aghony stopped and looked down at her "Are you sure?"

"Yes" she said, her eyes never leaving his.

Aghony dipped down softly, his lips touching her neck, kissing it softly before his fangs sunk into her skin, her blood running into him soft as he moved inside of her.

Ruby felt the pain, but relished the feeling after she felt him losing control on top of her. Her blood tasted like heaven to him, the taste as luxurious and divine as her scent was. He lost himself for a minute, letting himself pump into her hard as he took her blood in him.

Ruby climaxed, her body shivering as she cried out, his body coming into her and taking all of her, body and soul.

Then Aghony was back to reality as he pulled out of her, cleaning up the wound in her neck and he collapsed on top of her.

He felt his heart beating a million miles an hour, her blood like cocaine in his system.

"You alright?" Ruby said looking down at him.

"Yes" he said in breathes "Are you?"

"I'm perfect" she said as he moved beside her.

"Good" he said cuddling into her. Ruby responded by cuddling even closer to him, their bodies becoming one under the covers.

Then, a knock sounded at the door.

"Go away!" Aghony said laughing, holding Ruby tighter to him as he let out a growl.

Then, Faolan busted in, and Ruby screamed covering herself.

"Jesus!" Aghony said moving on top of Ruby.

"Sorry dude" Faolan said laughing "I thought you were just joking."

"Well as you can see I'm not" Aghony said growling.

Faolan covered his eyes as he tried to stop giggling "Your dad wants to see you."

"Fine! I'll talk to him in a bit" Aghony said exasperated with his friend.

"Now get out!" Ruby yelled while trying also not to laugh.

As Faolan left Aghony rolled off of Ruby and sighed heavily.

"I think we need our own place" Ruby joked as she sat up, getting the T-shirt off the ground.

"You would actually live with me?" he said motioning his hand around "With all this crazy?"

"It's not so bad" Ruby said laughing "At least he doesn't hit on me anymore."

"He knows better now" Aghony growled sitting up "You gunna be okay while I'm out?"

"Sure" Ruby said walking towards the bathroom to clean up "I think I'll look for Lassiter, I haven't seen him yet."

"Alright" Aghony said getting dressed "I'll come looking for you when I'm done okay?"

"Alright!" Ruby said waving him off as she closed the door.

Aghony scoffed for a minute and walked over to the door, opening it right as Ruby began brushing her teeth. He walked right up to her, taking the toothbrush out of her hand and kissing her hard on the mouth.

"I love you" he said smiling.

"And I love you" she said kissing him again.

Aghony left, feeling satisfied and went to find his father.

He found Phury in the study, sitting with a book, although his face looked troubled.

"So what have I done now?" Aghony said in the doorway.

"You haven't done anything" Phury said closing the book "But you will after I tell you what the Brotherhood said."

"Alright" Aghony said, already getting defensive.

"What have you decided about being the Primale?" Phury said looking at his son.

"I'm not going to do it" Aghony said shaking his head "I can't just give up on Ruby, not now. I love her, and she loves me."

"And what happens when Ruby goes away?" Phury said, looking worried at his son.

"She won't go away" Aghony said shaking his head "She said she wouldn't."

Phury stood and looked at his son before coming over and placing both hands on his shoulders.

That's when Aghony knew that something was wrong.


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

"Hey you" Ruby said knocking on the wall of the library where Lassiter was hanging out. He turned his head quickly and a big smile crossed his face.

"Hey you" he said back.

"What you doin in here?" Ruby said coming over and sitting beside him. Lassiter had a big book sitting in his lap, full of different pictures of flowers.

"Ever since you mentioned what that one flower meant when we were watching TV I've been wondering what others mean as well" he said staring at her with those glowing eyes.

"Really now?" Ruby said taking the book out of his lap "Guess I'm rubbing off on you."

"I like people filled with useless information" Lassiter joked.

"Well I'm the queen of it" Ruby said looking down at the flowers "This one is a daffodil and it's meaning is chivalry."

"Which is dead" Lassiter said looking at the yellow flower.

"With you at least" Ruby laughed "This one is lavender, which means distrust."

"Oooh" Lassiter said making a face.

"And this one is Marigold, which means a desire for riches" she said looking at all the different flowers.

"What is this one?" he said pointing to a pretty little blue flower that stuck out among the others.

"Those are forget-me-not's" Ruby said touching the picture "They mean "remember me forever""

"Pretty" Lassiter said looking at Ruby for a minute.

"Yep" she said closing the book "See, at least I'm good for something. If you ever need me to tell you what flowers mean just look me up."

"It's not like you are going anywhere anytime soon" Lassiter said.

Ruby was silent for a minute, thinking that she really wasn't. This was her home now, here with Aghony and the Brotherhood and Lassiter.

"No" she said smiling "I'm not."

"You want to get something to eat?" Lassiter said standing up and stretching "I think Fritz is making some pasta tonight."

"Mmmm pasta" Ruby said smacking her lips "I could go for that."

"Want to see if Aghony wants any? We could all chow down together. I think we all need a little break" Lassiter said moving around her.

"Sure" she said standing "I'll go find him."

"See you downstairs" Lassiter said waving as he exited the room.

Ruby rolled her eyes and smiled. She loved that angel, despite how he acted sometimes.

Ruby walked out of the library and down the hall, asking Rhage as she passed him where Phury's room was. Rhage pointed it out and slapped her on the back before walking away, making Ruby feel right at home.

Ruby walked towards the door that stood a bit open when she heard Aghony's voice, and it didn't sound happy.

"What do you mean!?" Aghony said, almost yelling.

Ruby stopped at the door, eavesdropping even though she knew she shouldn't.

"The Omega will come for Ruby" Phury said, sounding matter of fact.

"And I will fight to the death for her!" Aghony yelled again, seeming frustrated.

"And you would risk the entire mansion over her? Aggie, listen to me, she can't stay here. Vishous talked to the Scribe Virgin and she herself said that the Omega will stop at nothing to get to Ruby. We have to get her out of here."

"We have been safe before" Aghony said, his voice desperate.

"But who knows what the Omega will cook up. I love you, and I love my Brothers. The Scribe Virgin told us that she needs to go."

"To hell with the Scribe Virgin!" Aghony yelled "Ever since you wanted me to be Primale it's all about what is good for everyone, but nobody asks what is good for me!"

"We need a Primale Aghony" Phury said still seeming calm and...guilty.

"I am not going to impregnate Chosen just for the sake of the Scribe Virgin. I'm sorry I just won't" Aghony said.

Ruby gasped and quickly put her hand over her mouth. Impregnate? Aghony was supposed to...

So that's why he didn't want to talk about it when they first met.

"Aghony" Phury said sounding burdened "You have no choice. Our race will die if you do not do this."

Ruby suddenly felt sorry for Aghony. If it hadn't been for her...he wouldn't have this problem.

"Ruby will die if I do" Aghony said softly.

Ruby felt her chest start to hurt, a old feeling returning that she knew she couldn't stop. She was the source of this problem. All of their problems. If she stayed she would be putting them all in danger, and they would all die because of her.

Ruby realized she was hunched over, and quickly stood up straight. She had made her decision, as much as it would kill her, she would do it for Aghony, and for all of them.

Ruby walked back to her room, hot tears streaming down her face as she quickly opened and shut the door behind her. It felt like a rock was just sitting on her chest now, the horrible breaking of her chest from the happiness she had gained and now would lose in an instant. But she needed to do it, she needed to save them and Aghony.

Ruby walked over to the phone, knowing who she had to call to get things ready.

She just prayed she could go through with it.

* * *

"I'm not going to give up" Aghony said turning towards his father "There has to be a way around this. And I won't stop until I find it. I'm sorry father, I just can't."

"If that is your choice" Phury said sighing "I just hope it's all worth it."

"It is for me" Aghony said as he walked out the door, grabbing his jacket as he left.

He felt like smoke was coming out of his ears by the time he got to his bedroom. Slowly he took deep breaths, knowing that his attitude would definitely affect Ruby if she saw how mad he really was, and he didn't want her to think it was her fault.

"It's not her fault" Aghony thought to himself "It's all these damn rules. We run around them and it just makes life harder. I won't stand for it anymore." Solid in his decision, Aghony opened the door to find Ruby standing there in a jacket and jeans, almost looking like she was going to...

"Ruby?" Aghony asked confused.

"Aghony" Ruby said looking at him "What exactly is the Primale?"

"Ruby I don't" Aghony said shaking his head.

"Just tell me" Ruby said looking at him hard.

Aghony sighed "The Primale is a male that is chosen to impregnate the Chosen. My father was the Primale, but now it's up to me. I didn't want to tell you because I knew you wouldn't be okay with that with" he motioned between her and him "Us."

"If you don't do this" she said quietly "Your people will die."

"In a way" Aghony said looking away "We will get weaker, unable to make Brothers for fighting. But it shouldn't matter, we have new recruits every day and it's all just a stupid tradition that I don't want to be part of."

"I know that" Ruby said, her voice getting very quiet "But it's still your duty."

"Ruby what is this all about?" Aghony said coming closer to her.

"I need to tell you something" Ruby said, trying to hold back tears.

"What is it?" he said.

"I'm going back" she said not looking at him "iAm found me a place to stay and I'm going. But first, you need to do something for me."

"What?" he said baffled.

"I need you to erase my memory" she said looking him straight in the eye "I need to forget these last few weeks, and I mean everything. You, the lessers, the Omega. It's the only way to save you."

"No!" Aghony said coming towards her and grabbing her by the shoulders.

"Please" she said backing away "It's the only way."

"The only way for what!?" Aghony said, his chest hurting with every word she was saying.

"The only way for you to be safe! The only way for you to be happy! Aghony I heard what you and your father were talking about. I am nothing but a burden here and if I stay I put you and everyone in danger. The Omega will come and the only way for you to be safe is if I leave. If you erase my memory, I won't have a clue what the Omega is, I'll be able to hide away and they will never find me again. I won't come running back here when I start to miss you because they will be looking for me. Please Aghony, it's the only way."

"But" Aghony said distraught "I love you Ruby, I can't just let you go just like that."

"You have to" Ruby said coming close and wrapping her arms around him "For me."

Aghony closed his eyes as they disappeared from his room on to a rooftop somewhere in the city. Aghony looked around and zipped up his jacket from the spring wind that still blew cold around them.

"So this is it?" he said looking around.

"iAm has a place right downstairs" Ruby said looking around the other apartment rooftops "It's far away from my last one, I'll be safer here."

"Ruby" Aghony said trying to come close to her.

"Don't" Ruby said holding up a hand "Don't make this harder for both of us. Just do it."

"Alright" he said, his voice hard as he moved away from her and towards the edge of the building. When he turned, he looked right at her, small against the big sky, her eyes looking guilty and pleading all at the same time for just one moment more with him.

"I love you Ruby" Aghony said looking at her.

"And I love you" She said, a couple of tears escaping her eyes.

And then, Aghony erased her memories, taking them all into his head, all of her emotions and heart ache she had felt all this time. All the confusion and wonder she had felt and remembered. And all the pain she had suffered. At least he was happy about that, that Ruby wouldn't remember all that terrible pain she went through.

As soon as it was done, Ruby's eyes seemed blank, almost dead as they stared straight ahead, her tears dried up the minute he started taking her memories. Aghony disappeared, taking the few moments he had to get away before her memory started to kick back in again. He reappeared on a building across the street, watching her from the darkness, hoping, by some miracle, it hadn't worked.

Aghony watched Ruby for what seemed like years, her standing there in the wind, her brown hair whipping around her like a banshee, those gray-blue eyes staring into nothing.

He realized that he would have loved her his whole life, even if she died before he did, there would never be anyone else.

"Please" he said looking at her "Please don't forget me."

As Ruby stood, her eyes moved, up and for a moment, Aghony's heart stopped.

And then, Ruby turned away from him, forgetting him, and everything they had.

As she walked down the fire escape that led to her apartment, Ruby heard a cry out in the air, and just shrugged it off, thinking it nothing but the wind.


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Aghony stood outside of Sal's, trying to take deep breathes in the spring air that just wanted to do nothing but drown you in the rain. At least it wasn't a heavy downpour, more of a light rain that would soon go away in an hour or two.

"Three weeks" Aghony breathed deep. Three weeks since he last saw Ruby, and every day it was getting harder to keep away from her. At first, he had been angry, had trashed his room and locked himself away, ignoring talks from the other Brothers and basically shutting down for another few days. Now he was hard, ignoring his father and the Brotherhood, not giving a single shit if things went one way or the other. But tonight was different, tonight...he needed to see her.

"Just once" he breathed "Just to get it out of my system." He didn't need to talk to her, he just needed to see that she was okay.

Faolan came outside and saw his friend struggling, trying to hold his thoughts together as he closed his eyes with a frown.

"What is it?" Aghony asked not looking at the wolfen.

"You thinking about her again?" Faolan asked coming and standing beside him.

"Always" he said quietly.

"You want to go see her?" Faolan said, knowing that it was easier said than done.

"I want to" Aghony said shaking his head "I just don't know if I should."

"I feel for you Aggie" Faolan said shaking his head "When my father had to give up my mother, he said it was the hardest thing he had ever done."

"It really is" Aghony said "It's a struggle every day just to keep from going back and making her remember me, but she was right, she is safer this way, and so are we."

"There hasn't been an attack in over two weeks" Faolan said shaking his head "I don't see any harm in just seeing her, as long as we keep a distance."

"Yea" Aghony said, his feet moving before his mind was made up.

Faolan followed the male quickly, trying to keep up with him as they walked towards Ruby's apartment.

When they arrived, low and behold, Lassiter was standing in the alleyway just above Ruby's apartment, looking up into her balcony window.

"She's just getting home" Lassiter said looking at the light flickering on as Aghony came from behind him "I left her some flowers for you."

"Thanks" Aghony said "You didn't sign my name or anything?"

"Nope" Lassiter said still watching "She'll just think they are from a secret admirer."

Aghony moved on to the fire escape and began climbing up.

"Aggie!" Faolan hissed "A distance remember?!"

"I need to see her" Aghony said as he climbed higher "Just for a second."

"I'll go up and keep an eye on him" Lassiter said towards Faolan as he floated up towards the top.

Aghony crawled over the balcony railing and slowly peeked into the sliding door to Ruby's apartment.

* * *

Ruby walked into her apartment, flowers in hand as she set her keys down on the table.

Pregnant...

She was...pregnant.

"But how?" she thought to herself, knowing she hadn't had sex in over three months. She had gone to the doctor because she hadn't been feeling well and iAm had found others to cover her shift for tonight. But now, she wished she had someone to talk to, someone to figure out just exactly how she got pregnant.

Maybe she had a few too many drinks one night and she...

No, that wasn't possible. She didn't party, and she sure as hell didn't hook up with any guys.

Suddenly a tear fell down her cheek and she quickly wiped it away. Why the hell was she crying?

She was pregnant, that was why. Three weeks to be exact. Her head began hurting and she tried to dismiss the issue at least for now. She shouldn't be putting stress on herself, not with the mystery baby on the way.

Quietly she looked at the flowers in her hand and smelt them. Then slowly, she set them down on the table.

* * *

Aghony watched Ruby smell the flowers that Lassiter had sent and knew what they meant, but just like on the rooftop, Ruby's eyes were dismissive and looked away, her memory blank when it came to anything about him.

Aghony realized he had his hand pressed against the glass of the door, as if he was trying to melt through it to get to her.

And slowly, he took it away, knowing now that Ruby would never remember him, no matter how much he wanted her to.

"I'm sorry Aggie" Lassiter said as he moved down the fire escape with the male "I was sure she would get some kind of hint."

"It's better this way" Aghony said shaking his head as he walked towards Faolan who felt his heart breaking along with his friend. He knew how much this was hurting Aghony, and wished there was some way around it.

Ruby suddenly looked back towards the flowers and thought about what they were. Pretty blue, the bluest flower you would ever see, forget-me-nots...

"Remember me forever..." she whispered to herself.

Suddenly, like a dam breaking in her head, memories of everything that happened flooded back into her mind. The fight at Sal's, the lesser attacking, meeting Agony, going to the mansion, making love to Aghony, being with Aghony, fighting Jay, the garden festival, Aghony in his handsome suit, him telling her he loved her, her getting captured and finding Aghony, loving Aghony, leaving Aghony. Aghony, the vampire, the one she loved, the father of her child.

It all happened so fast and suddenly she smelt him, as if he was in the room with her. Quickly she turned and saw the palm print on her glass door, fading fast.

"Aghony..."she whispered, and like lighting she ran and threw open the glass door.

"AGHONY!" she screamed out into the night.

Aghony heard his name, whipping around, knowing that voice that was seared onto his heart.

"RUBY!" he called back, running straight forward, his heart racing as he ran towards the building.

"Aghony!" she yelled seeing him, and immediately went for the fire escape, climbing down as he jumped on it and started climbing up. Ruby whipped around a staircase and saw him at the bottom, his eyes big, hoping and praying what he heard was true.

"Aggie" she whispered, a smile spreading across her face.

Aghony whooped out into the night as he bolted upward and scooped her up in his arms, his lips crashing into hers as they held each other for what seemed like an eternity.

Ruby hugged him tight, knowing that this was a mistake but she didn't care. She loved him, and the weeks without him had hurt her more than anything in the world.

They broke their kiss, Lassiter and Faolan at the bottom slapping each other and cheering out for them.

"Ruby" Aghony whispered as he held her close.

"I'm sorry" Ruby said, tears coming to her eyes "I'm so sorry."

"It's okay" he hushed her "It's okay, we are together now. Everything will be alright."

"There is something though" Ruby said moving a little bit away from him.

"What?" Aghony said his smile disappearing.

"I'm..."she said stuttering "I'm pregnant."

Aghony's eyes got wide as his smile spread out manically "You are?!"

"Yea" she said laughing and crying at the same time "I am."

"Whoooo!" Aghony screamed out, picking Ruby up holding her in the air while spinning around "I'm going to be a dad!"

"Congratulations!" Faolan said "Now lets get the hell out of here before you make even more of a scene than you are!"

Aghony carried Ruby back down the fire escape, not letting her go for even a minute.

"Congrats mom" Lassiter said, giving her a peck on the cheek.

"Name it after me?" Faolan said giving her a hug.

"Well it's really just a little blob in my stomach right now" Ruby laughed "But when it gets time I'll tell you what it is."

"Awesome! The Brotherhood is going to flip!" Faolan said "It's been a while since we had any little ones in the house, not since you and me bro!" he said slapping Aghony on the back. Aghony held tightly on to Ruby, loving her more than he thought he ever could. And he would love his young, with every breathe in him as well. There was no way either of them were leaving him again.

As the group walked out into the street, their faces showing with nothing but joy, darkness creeped out in front of them...and the tell tale smell of baby powder filled the air.


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

They came out of the shadows, ten groups at a time from alleyways and street corners, all wearing dark clothes, their skin and hair pale as the moon, and the awful stench that flooded the air on the street.

"The Omega must have been busy while we were away" Faolan said, his yellow eyes glowing bright as his body began getting ready for a fight.

Lassiter spread his eagle wings, giant things that came out of his back and made him really look like an angel from the Old Testament.

Aghony pushed Ruby behind him as all the males surrounded her, blocking her from all sides knowing she was the one they had come for.

Aghony looked around, thought about how many he could take, thought about how many Faolan could really handle. There were just too many of them...and he needed to get his pregnant female out of here.

"Lassiter" Aghony hissed behind him.

"I know" the angel said darkly "When they come at us, I'll grab her and leave."

"Aghony" Ruby said grabbing his hand from behind him.

"It's okay" he said looking behind "It's going to be alright, Lassiter will keep you safe, I promise."

The lessers were getting close now, surrounding the group from all sides. Waiting for their orders.

"I'm scared" Ruby whispered, her eyes wide looking around at the danger that surrounded them.

"Don't worry Rube" Faolan said growling "We won't let them touch you."

Aghony produced his daggers that hung at his side, ready to dish out damage wherever it came from.

Suddenly the group parted, and Ruby began to shiver.

There standing, with a evil grin on his face, was Jay. Only his eyes were dark, black as night as they stared straight at her, his intent plastered on his face.

"Get them!" Jay cried and Ruby felt Lassiter's hand grab hers instantly.

The angel blew out his wings, sending bodies flying backwards as they flew past everyone, gun shots and cries being heard behind them. Ruby felt her legs running fast, almost as if they were running on air as Lassiter dragged her behind him, trying to find a way to escape.

"Can't we just fly!?" Ruby screamed as she heard the lessers following close behind.

"I can't!" Lassiter said, almost desperately "Wings got clipped a long time ago!"

"Then where are we going!?" Ruby said as they turned down another street.

"I don't know!" Lassiter said looking behind and seeing that he wasn't losing the lessers quick enough.

"Lassiter!" Ruby screamed before they almost flew into a building. Lassiter quickly turned and they both went flying in a different direction. Ruby screamed as she felt herself being thrown one way and Lassiter another, but thankfully she landed on her back rather than her stomach.

"It's okay baby" she breathed holding her stomach "We will get through this."

Ruby groaned as she got up and saw Lassiter hurrying over to her.

"Are you alright?" he asked helping her up.

"I'm okay" Ruby said lightly "Hows the baby?"

Lassiter put his hand on her stomach and felt the life beating steadily inside of her.

"Perfect" he said. Strangely though, his hand was tingling, and he was getting the strange sensation he had first gotten when he called Ruby his mother...

Ruby gasped as she looked behind Lassiter, and again they were surrounded. The group was small, but with Ruby unarmed and Lassiter being only able to handle a few, they knew their chances were running slim.

"Ruby" Lassiter hissed "Go. Just go."

"No!" Ruby said grabbing his arm "I can't outrun these guys!"

"You have to try" Lassiter said giving her a knowing look "You have to get away, for not just my sake" he said putting his hand against her stomach "But for both of you."

"Enough angel" Ruby heard Jay's voice say from behind the group "Your time is up."

"Not yet" Lassiter said producing a golden chain from his belt.

"Kill the angel" Jay said laughing "And get the girl."

"Run Ruby!" Lassiter said whipping out the chain, hitting three lessers and knocking them down fast.

Ruby turned and ran, trying to see past the tears that were coming down like rain against her face. Instantly she tripped and caught herself hard against the ground, hearing Lassiter scream behind her.

She turned quickly and watched as the lessers beat him down, holding him to the ground as Jay stood over him with a pure evil look on his face.

Slowly he turned to her and winked, then in one swift motion, he took a dagger and swiftly drove it into Lassiter's chest.

"NO!" Ruby screamed, her voice echoing down the alleyway.

She watched as Lassiter's body disappeared in a halo of light, his last breath going in the breeze of the wind.

Then Jay turned, and smiled at her.

Ruby was up and running then, knowing she was next. That was not Jay, that was something else.

She turned down alleyways, her legs wanting to give every second, knowing Lassiter was dead, praying that Aghony and Faolan were not and would soon find her. She couldn't beat him, she just couldn't...

Ruby turned down another alley when finally her legs could go no further, and help was far far away.

And then she saw it. A dead end to the alley.

And Jay was right behind her.

"Host" the voice said, it's familiarity haunting to Ruby's ears "I've come for you at last."

Ruby turned, her whole body shaking out of fear, betraying her to the sight of the Omega that was looking at her from Jay's eyes.

"You can't have me" Ruby said trying to stand tall in front of the devil himself.

"I may not" the Omega said, Jay's face smiling as he said it "And no one shall."

Suddenly a gun was handed to him from one of the lessers behind him and he pointed it straight at Ruby.

Ruby watched in horror, knowing there was nothing she could say to stop him from what he was about to do.

"God help me" she whispered as watched in slow motion as Jay pulled the trigger, and the bullet went straight into her heart.

Ruby felt the blood flow down her shirt and skirt as her body fell backward, the sky turning upwards on her as she fell back in a puddle of water, the drops flying around her as everything in the world slowed down in moments.

Her last thought was of Aghony, and her baby.

And then, Ruby was dead.

* * *

Aghony was being dragged along with Faolan through the streets, their bodies badly bruised and beaten, exhaustion over taking them knowing that they had done their best and hopefully it wasn't all for nothing.

Aghony looked over at his friend, who was passed out, his body in a half- changed way as it flopped around almost lifelessly beside him.

"Please" Aghony prayed "Please let the others be safe."

Finally they came to the group in the alleyway, all staring at something that Aghony could not really see.

"I don't understand it" the one called Jay said, although his voice had changed to something darker inside of him.

"What master?" one of the lackies said behind him.

"I should have felt the earth tremble under my feet" the Omega said shaking his head "I should be able to feel the world turn around me, and I don't. The last host is dead in the world, and my sister is almost gone completely, in yet I still feel no ultimate power..."

"Maybe there are more hosts?" another lesser said.

"Or maybe I didn't kill all of her" the Omega said turning to Aghony.

Aghony had heard their words but didn't want to believe them, until finally he saw Ruby laying on the ground, blood pooling around her from the whole in her chest.

"Oh God!" Aghony cried out "Oh God please no! No!" he cried in despair. His Ruby, his baby were gone, and the world seemed to be collapsing on top of him.

Rage coursed through his body, and Aghony busted from the hold the lessers had on him, rampaging right for the Omega.

But the dark one was ready, his hand whipping out quickly and seizing Aghony by the throat.

"Ah" the Omega said smiling "Now I see. I may have killed her body, but her heart is still intact." Aghony spit at the creature that held him, vowing to kill him for what he had done. Primal rage ran through his body, blocking out any sense of anything other than to kill this thing that had killed him.

"No matter" the Omega hissed "I'll have a little fun with you, and then I'll kill all the others that are like you. No home shall be safe in this city, and every vampire will be dead by the time the sun rises tomorrow."

Somehow, through all the hate and rage that Aghony was feeling, he knew the Omega was telling the truth.


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33

Ruby woke up, hearing the babbling of water near her, the soft chirp of beautiful birds in her ear, and she knew she must be in heaven. Slowly her eyes opened, revealing a beautiful courtyard in front of her, the marble buildings glimmering in the light, the wondrous colors of the flowers that glowed in the grass.

Ruby looked down and saw she was in white robes, like a Greek goddess in her temple.

"But how?" she said looking around "How did I get here?"

And suddenly she remembered the Omega, the dark look in his eye, the firing of the gun and the hot blood that had spilt down her chest. In a panic Ruby grabbed her chest and looked down, seeing nothing, only her skin, soft as every in the light.

"My baby" she whispered and grabbed her stomach.

But she felt nothing...no feeling of something alive within her...

"No" she gasped, her hand covering her mouth as tears started coming "Oh please no..."

"The child is in a better place" a voice said from behind her. Ruby had heard that voice before, and slowly she turned and saw a figure in black robes standing before her.

Ruby was scared instantly and backed away, fearing this was another creature just like the Omega.

"Calm yourself" the robe figure said, her arms in the air as if trying to soothe a wild beast "I mean thee no harm."

"What are you?" Ruby said frightened.

The robe figure's arms moved to the hood of her robe, and slowly it was pulled back to reveal a pretty woman, although she almost seemed translucent, like a ghost.

"I am the Scribe Virgin" the woman said, her voice soft and comforting in a way.

"Where am I?" Ruby said looking around.

"In a place where the dead are not usually found" the Scribe Virgin said "But I have come to make a deal with you host."

"Ruby" she said looking as the woman came close "My name is Ruby."

"So that is what the humans decided to call you" the woman said, a small smile escaping her grim expression "My father works in mysterious ways. But you are not human Ruby."

"I'm not?" Ruby said, her eyes getting wide.

"No" the woman said shaking her head "You were made by my father, and put on the earth until a choice was to be made. You see, I am dying, my body has lived long and my power is weakening, I need a knew body to reside in, this one has been mine for over a million years, before time was time, and now it has run it's course. It is the same with my brother, though he has tried many times to take a body of his own, his curse is that he does not take care of them very well."

"So that's what I am?" Ruby said almost disbelieving "Just a empty shell for you to fill? Is that why the Omega wanted me?"

"Exactly" the Scribe Virgin said "You were made to host one of us, and the choice was to be yours. Would you choose evil and gain ultimate power, or would you give yourself up for good and be responsible for the vampires? It was your choice and yours alone."

"I didn't want the Omega" Ruby said quietly "Because I knew he was evil..."

"And now I am here to make you my offer" she said "In exchange for your body."

"But wait!" Ruby said looking around "Will I still be me? Or will you be me?"

"Dear one" the woman said looking guilty "There never was a you. Your soul was never there inside of you. Whatever feelings or thoughts you may have had are just things that occurred because you have a mortal body. You have no soul, no living thing inside of you. It was all more of a biological thing that made you believe you did."

"So I'm not really me..."Ruby said trying to think about it.

"No" the woman said "You are like you said a empty shell to fill. Any kind of love, or hate, it wasn't really felt by you."

Ruby thought about Aghony, how she had felt every time she was with him, how he made her smile and how much she had loved him.

"I don't believe you" Ruby said defiantly "I know what I felt down there and I know it was real. You can't make me believe otherwise."

The woman looked at Ruby for a moment before shaking her head "I know what you must be feeling right now, but what I saw is true."

"No it's not!" Ruby said getting angry "You didn't feel what I felt! You didn't experience the things I did. I loved Aghony, and I would have loved him my entire life and I would have loved our child with everything in me! You can't make me think all of that wasn't real and it was just all in my head because it wasn't! I felt him" she said touching her chest "I felt what I felt for him. I gave my heart willingly to him because I was in love with him. Love will beat anything in this world, with a soul or not."

"If what you say is true" the woman said "Then the son of Phury is in more danger than I had thought."

"Danger?" Ruby said quickly "What danger?"

"Look" the Scribe Virgin said, making the air around them vibrate and disappear into a scene that horrified Ruby right to the core.

The Brotherhood, and many others were all chained and tied up in a monolith of a church that Ruby recognized. Lessers tortured and spat on the males and females around them. Everyone looking like this was the end of them, this was their death. Mothers clung to their young while males tried to fight their way out of the chains only to be beaten and forced back down in the pews of the church. And their, at the alter, were the Brotherhood, all held down with stocks and chains, beaten badly.

Ruby's heart hurt, wanting desperately to help them. And then, Aghony was at the center, brought forth in so many chains he was swimming in them. And over him, with such a evil look to his eyes, was the Omega, his skin pale as death with his dark eyes gazing at everyone, like a Hitler with his army, ready to kill off everyone she had loved and cared about.

"My brother has gained too much power" the Scribe Virgin said wearily "And mine is vanishing every moment we stand here. Soon I will be nothing more than a memory, and evil will rule the world that my father had created with such love."

"Aghony" Ruby said touching his face, her hand going through him like a ghost.

"If you truly love him" the scribe said "If you care for any of them. You will do this."

Ruby looked at his face, him knowing she was dead, knowing their baby was dead. The hopelessness in his eyes killed her, and Ruby with a broken heart, knew what she had to do.

"I will" she said quietly "I'll do it."

"Thank you" the Scribe Virgin said, her voice seeming relieved.

"There are conditions though" Ruby said turning.

"Very well" the woman said, ready to listen.

"When you get my body" Ruby said thinking about everything "You save them, alright? You save them and you fix everything. Kill him and kill all of his friends too."

"It will be done" she said nodding her head.

"And you will get rid of this Primale thing" Ruby said shaking her head "I'm sure after everyone sees your power, things will go back to normal and people will believe in you again. Give Lassiter one more chance at life, he died trying to save me."

"I will do this for you" The Scribe Virgin promised.

"And finally" Ruby said holding her stomach "You give him back our baby. I don't care if you carry it or not, but you bring it back. I don't want Aghony to be alone."

"I promise this" the Scribe Virgin said "With all my heart."

"Shake on it?" Ruby said holding out her hand.

The Scribe Virgin moved towards her, taking Ruby's hand in hers.

As soon as their skin touched one-another, light poured from between them, gathering everything in it's grasp, flooding everything with celestial light until there was nothing around them at all. Ruby watched as it all seemed to go inside of the Scribe Virgin, like her world was being brought with her and would start new once she was inside of Ruby.

Ruby knew this was the only way to save everyone, knew it was the only way to save her baby.

"Are you ready" the Scribe Virgin said letting go of Ruby's hand.

"I am" Ruby said, bravery filling her up to the brim.

The Scribe Virgin gave her a nod, and slowly lifted her hand up and pressed it against Ruby's chest.

Again, she felt the filling up sensation, only this time she took it with ease, knowing it was good, knowing it was right. Slowly the Scribe Virgin melted into Ruby, taking her all in, taking her light and her power, filling her up to the brim with knowledge of the universe and all the cosmos.

Ruby closed her eyes, saying her goodbyes in her head, and then in a instant, she was gone, locked away inside the Scribe Virgin, looking from the outside in as her body became that of a god.

And then, the Scribe Virgin fell to the earth, and into Ruby's physical body.


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34

Thunder rolled overhead, lighting flashing across the sky, and instantly Ruby's body was alive, it's eyes opening revealing the purest light in existence glowing from beneath the lids. She stood up, her body renewed although her chest was still covered in her blood. Slowly she walked, her boots steady against the wet ground as her skirt clung to her legs as she moved out of the alleyway and into the street.

Her power was back, the Scribe Virgin was alive and with a new body.

And now it was time to dish out some hell.

Opening her hands, Ruby's body moved the air of the earth, shattering the glass of buildings high above her, a rain of shards and power coming down and acknowledging her presence. She moved with power, her stride firm, eyes locked on the church that was straight ahead, her body building up power the more it came close to the evil that was lurking, ready to take her world.

But today was not that day.

She walked up to the church, her brother's followers shouting orders to her, but with the swipe of her hand they burnt up in flames, scattering their ashes in the wind.

She moved the door with her mind, throwing it open to reveal her and all that she brought forth. Her race, her creatures she had created with her own hand, looked in amazement but did not know it was her that stood in front of them, ready to duel with the devil himself.

The Omega saw Ruby, but knew the female was not in her body anymore, but rather his sister remained.

"Sister" the Omega hissed and he built up his power around him. Lighting sparked around him, the church growing dark on his side as the burning flames that surrounded Ruby flooded with light on the other.

"Your time is up brother" the Scribe Virgin said out of Ruby's mouth.

Aghony watched in wonder, his heart feeling elated the moment he had seen his female walk through the door. But when he heard that voice, he knew that the female that stood, with fire surrounding her and the look of power in her eyes, was not his.

"This world is mine Analisse!" the Omega roared, electric blue lighting flying around him in a fury.

"Not anymore" the Scribe Virgin said "I'm taking back what is mine."

"We will see about that!" the Omega screamed. His hand flew up, lighting whipping through the air as it shattered towards Ruby's body.

Quickly,the flames around her spun, knocking the lightning off as she ran forward, a dagger of fire in both her hands.

The Omega flew, a whip of lighting in his hand as he shot time after time at the Scribe Virgin. She ducked and bobbed, shooting flames towards him, knocking him back with her light, surrounding him with flames. But quickly he broke free and whipped her across the face with his lighting. She pounced back, feeling a little blood trickle down her face.

"Your body is still mortal sister" the Omega said smiling "You cannot beat me."

"Watch me" the Scribe Virgin said, only now she felt the presence of Ruby taking hold of her, Ruby''s words coming out of her mouth as she stood brave inside her body along with the Scribe Virgin.

Ruby flew through the air, blitzing the Omega and knocking him back, and quickly she seized him by the throat, holding his body high above her.

"You made one fatal mistake Omega" Ruby said past the Scribe Virgin "You kept my heart alive! And if there is one thing I know in this world, is that love, true love, beats all!"

The Scribe Virgin surrounded the two of them in a tornado of fire, the flames consuming the Omega's body as he cried out.

"I WILL RETURN!" he screamed "YOU WILL NEVER GET RID OF ME! THIS WORLD NEEDS EVIL!"

"And I will be here to stop it!" Ruby said "Now go to hell!"

The Omega screamed and howled as the fire consumed them both, driving out the darkness that lived inside Jay's body and turning his body into ashes.

When the fire died down, Ruby stood, her power glowing from her as she looked at all the lessers around her, their weapons out and ready to kill her for killing their master.

Ruby's body wrapped her arms around herself, building up her power as the others advanced towards her. She felt the light, the light from Ruby and the love that powered them both, building up and up until the time was just right.

The lessers advanced and Ruby had a little smile on her face.

"Burn baby burn" Ruby said inside herself. Her arms flew out at her sides, and light exploded out of her, completely drowning out the darkness, sending bodies into dust all around her, breaking the chains that held her people and filling their minds and heart with hope and love that all came from Ruby.

She looked like an angel, her body lifting off of the ground as the light cascade from her and surrounded the whole church, it's windows busting from the power of the light.

Aghony watched as his chains broke all around him, his body healed as the light danced around him. But he was not thinking of anything except Ruby, his female, and slowly he walked towards her.

"Ruby?" he said looking up at her. Slowly Ruby's head looked down, and pity crossed her face as she descended down to him, her body floating just above him.

"Your Ruby is gone, son of Phury" the Scribe Virgin said "She gave her body to save you and your child."

"No" Aghony said "I don't believe you. Give her back to me."

"Why did you think Ruby never had anyone her whole life?" the Scribe Virgin asked "She was a shell, a creature my father created to balance out the earth, she keeps the evil at bay and balances out the good in the world by hosting to me. She was nothing more than fire that would have eventually consumed your heart and killed you. You would burn and die in her fire."

"Then let me be ignited!" Aghony cried "Because a life, even a immortal life as long as yours would feel useless and empty without her! Her heart was seared onto mine the moment my eyes met hers, and I will not let her go! So go on, let her go, let me get burnt by her. Because you are wrong about her fire, it is good and kind, and filled with nothing but love! Because if there is one thing I believe in...just one thing, I believe in her!"

The Scribe Virgin heard Aghony's words, and making her decision, flooded the room with light as she exchanged her soul for Ruby's, knowing that her bravery and her love were the real things that had saved them all, and if this male was willing to take her on, knowing what she was, then she deserved her chance to be with him.

It was the Scribe Virgin's final act as she gave Ruby a soul and let her enter her own body. Ruby saw herself being pulled into her body, her life filling her up and letting the light surround her.

"Be good to them" the Scribe Virgin whispered "Do better than I. Give them hope, give them love."

"But where will you go?" Ruby said looking at the woman, light shining out of her.

"I will be in you" she said touching Ruby's chest "But this race needs a new god. You will lead them better than I could" she looked towards Aghony "And he loves you so, your love and his will create a new world, a better world. It was what my father planned, I see that now" she turned to Ruby and hugged her tight "Good luck."

And with that, the Scribe Virgin disappeared into Ruby, and she felt herself take her own body back.

Aghony watched as the light around Ruby started to turn red. The cascading and dancing light turned crimson, it's movements turning into beautiful warm colors of satin and ribbon, surrounding Ruby and wrapping her as if she were a mummy in a sacred country. He watched as she was totally consumed by the ribbon, and in a flash of light that poured from beneath him, she dropped to the ground, the ribbons dancing around her naked body.

"Ruby!" Aghony cried and went for her, scooping her up in his arms.

Slowly her head drifted back, her eyes closed as her skin turned an ivory color, her lips red as blood.

"Ruby?" Aghony looked her up and down.

Blinking, Ruby's eyes opened and looked at him, and he sighed in relief as they were the steel blue color he had loved for what seemed like an eternity.

"Hey you" she whispered.

"Hey you" he said back, and kissed her.

When Ruby opened her eyes, Aghony had tears staining his face.

"Hey" she said wiping them away "What's the matter?"

"I thought" he said holding her tighter "I thought I had lost you."

"I will always find you" she said "Always."

"I love you" he whispered, holding her head close to his.

"And I love you" she said, and kissed him like she should have kissed him the moment he uttered those words to her the first time.

And there, huddled in the middle of the church, with their entire race watching, everyone knew that this was the beginning of a new age, a age of love and promise.

An age of hope.


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35

"Well?" the angel said watching the scene in the church below him.

_"Well what?"_ the grand voice of the all Father said back.

"You heard your daughters promise, you going to keep it?" he said smiling as Ruby and Aghony kissed one another.

_"You had your chance Lassiter."_

"Come on" Lassiter said scoffing "Three times the charm."

_"The child..."_

"What about it?" Lassiter said getting worried.

_"It was part of the host when she was nothing more than a shell, it did not have a soul, just as she did not have one..."_

"Your point being?" Lassiter said confused.

_"Third times the charm."_

Lassiter smiled, knowing now what the Father meant.

"I better be one damn cute baby" he said feeling the warm light of life surround him.

_"Take care Lassiter."_

"Yea" he said before vanishing "You too."

* * *

"Hold still baby" Ruby said fixing the red robes around her son as he squirmed in her grasp.

"Momma I don't wanna!" the little blonde boy in front of her said, his blue eyes staring back at her.

"Lassiter" Ruby said, her voice treading on a warning "You need to look nice. Everyone is going to be out there."

"Where's daddy?" the tiny boy said pouting as Ruby wrapped the final crimson scarf around her son's waist.

"He's going to be at the bridge baby" she said kissing her young on the head "Grandma will take you to him now, promise you'll behave?"

"I promise mommy" the boy said hugging his mother "You look pretty."

"Thanks baby" she said giving him another big kiss.

Ruby stood up in her Greek patio on the Other Side, watching her little boy walk out between the columns and meet Cormia who was dressed all in a beautiful white robes that draped around her like an angel. She gave Ruby a wink and walked with the little boy, his blonde hair whipping around behind him, refusing to stay tame for just a minute.

Ruby sighed and looked down at herself, happy with the way things had turned out. Once her and Aghony had gotten everyone safely out of the church, she had some explaining to do on exactly what she was now to the Brotherhood.

Ruby was a god, or at least a majority of one. The Scribe Virgin's power had been given to Ruby, replacing the old goddess. Now she was called the Red Scribe, and everything had been going well so far. She had given up the rules on the Primale and the Chosen, deeming anyone to be of worth to her eyes to be accepted into the Brotherhood. Over the course of her pregnancy, Ruby had given permission for Qhuinn, Blaylock, and many other worthy males to join the Black Dagger Brotherhood. She had even given her blessing for the joining of Qhuinn and Blay.

Ruby liked taking care of everyone, sure, she got asked a lot of favors from some she thought didn't deserve it, but instead of just saying no like the Scribe Virgin had done, she offered them a chance to prove themselves, to right their wrongs and prove their worth. It was a system that was working out great.

And then, finally, she had given birth to her son, and a voice, someone she didn't know but did, told her who her son was, and asked her to take care of the little rascal. So in the end, Ruby still had her friend, who just so happened to now be her son. Aghony had proven to be a wonderful father, caring and loving, just like she had always dreamed.

That was another thing that Ruby was now happy about. She could dream and love and be happy without any worry now, her life was here, being the caregiver to the vampire race and having her loving family beside her on this side of the world. Chosen were welcome to live in the almost Greek looking temple that the Scribe Virgin had built, with a little tweaks and adjustments made by Ruby. No longer were the Chosen here just for having young and for blood for males, but now they could explore their studies, have their own hopes and dreams, along with males that yearned for this place as well. It was a paradise that Ruby had created.

And now, finally, it was her mating time.

Ruby looked at the dress she had chosen, the beautiful gold sparkling in ruffles and waves below her, her hair pulled up in a elegant up-do with curls waving in tides around her head. The dress was long, beautiful, and perfect in every way she could imagine. And now, waiting with pretty much the whole Brotherhood and her race, was her male, her Aghony.

Quietly she took a deep breathe, she had waited for this moment for so long, but with baby Lassiter and establishing a new world order, things had seemed too hectic.

But now, everything was perfect.

Ruby walked out into the courtyard, the flowers and trees swaying with a light breeze. Carefully she picked up the skirt of her dress and walked towards where the ceremony was starting. Ruby saw everyone standing, waiting for her, and as they turned when she finally appeared, all eyes were wide and smiles were spread across every face.

And there, standing in the middle of the white bridge that Ruby had made, the same bridge that she had first told Aghony she loved him, stood her male.

Aghony turned then and saw her, his jaw dropping at the sight of her. She looked like a goddess, her ivory skin glowing like a pearl against the gold sparkling dress that flowed and waved down below her. Her eyes were excited and happy, and Aghony felt his heart swell at just how beautiful she really looked.

Ruby walked towards the bridge, the guests on either side of her, watching as she walked by them, their goddess, the Red Scribe.

Ruby saw all the males dressed in red robes, while all the females were dressed in creamy white. Soon, red petals were thrown in the air as she walked towards the bridge, the smell making the air sweet with the floral fragrance. In the distance, Ruby heard the sound of a soft piano playing music.

Ruby felt tears sting her eyes at just how beautiful it all really was.

Ruby walked up the bridge, thinking about everything her and Aghony had gone through, their pain, their bravery, their faithfulness to each other. She really did love this male, and nothing could take him away from her.

Ruby stopped at the center of the bridge, her hands clasping in Aghony's as they stood together, guests on either side of the bridge, watching with anticipation.

"You look amazing" Aghony said softly, looking her up and down.

"So do you" she said blushing.

"Are you two ready?" Wrath said coming between them.

"Yes" Aghony said smiling.

"Yes" Ruby said returning his smile.

"We have come here together today" Wrath began, but Ruby didn't hear his words anymore. Her eyes were solely watching Aghony's, the beautiful jade green eyes looking back at her with such love she felt she almost couldn't hold back from kissing him right there. Aghony watched her too, his ears deaf to Wrath's words as they were being spoken, his mind solely fixed on his mate.

He remembered then, wishing on that star years ago, wishing that he would find his true love.

And he had, she was right here, staring back at him, loving him just as much as he loved her.

"I love you" he said softly.

"And I love you" she whispered back.

"Aghony if you will please remove your robe" Wrath said then as he moved away from the two.

Aghony removed it, but as soon as his skin was bare he looked right at Ruby, and smiled.

Ruby couldn't hold back anymore. Quickly went and embraced him, her lips crashing into his as he swept her up in his arms.

"Uh, you guys" Faolan said from the crowd, but they just ignored him.

Ruby's hand pressed against Aghony's back, and although he couldn't see it, her felt the warmth cascade from her hands and onto his skin. Flickers of fire cascaded from Ruby's hand, sending it's fiery light over Aghony's back, making it's mark for all to see.

"Well" Wrath said setting down the hot irons "That's one way to do it."

Aghony softly broke their kiss and felt the skin of his back that was now tingling down his spine. There, carved into his back, was Ruby's name.

And there, carved on Ruby's wrist, was his name as well.

"But we don't mark our females" Aghony said looking down on it.

"Well now you do" Ruby said smiling and kissing him again.

"Ruby" Aghony said holding her tight against him.

"Go ahead" Ruby said softly "I'm listening."

"I love you" he said softly "And I will love you, for as long as I live."

"And I love you" she said.

"For how long?" he said smiling.

Ruby turned and looked at everyone, and at her son who stood smiling bright at her. Then she turned back to Aghony, her smile bright and loving as the rose petals flew around them in the breeze.

And quietly she kissed her male and whispered.

"Forever."

The End.

* * *

***Thank you all for reading and for giving me all the great reviews and comments. It all wouldn't have come together if not for your amazing support!* Little disclaimer: I do not own any of the BDB characters except for my own of course.**

**Please keep watching and keep a look out for more stories I'll be working on! I may add a few one shots of the BDB universe, but all in all this trilogy is really it! Thank you again for reading, you have no idea what it means to me that you actually took the time to look! A thousand thank you's!**

**-Razz**


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